Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Oyo State Government through Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, OYSAA has rolled out new mandatory campaign requirements in the state and jacked up campaign fees for all aspiring political office holders.
A socio-political advocacy group, BSA Voice of Reason has reacted to the new development that will shaped the campaign activities in the state, the group through a statement signed by Mr Sola Abegunde accused Oyo State government of victimising opposition parties and frustrating them to get locations for their advertisement in the State.
The group urged Governor Seyi Makinde to concentrate safe return of students and teachers kidnapped in Oriire Local Government Area instead of playing political games.
“Our attention has been drawn to a document issued by the Oyo state Government through the office of the Director General of the Oyo state Signage and Advertisement Agency, OYSAA, Mr. Oludolapo Eso-Ajanaku.
“The said document, dated the 5th of June, 2026 is titled: Notice of Mandatory Campaign Permit requirements for Advertising activities ahead of 2027 general election”.
The group added; “Before today, we have been seeing unconfirmed reports on social media, to the effect that Governor Seyi Makinde had directed billboard owners across the state not to display opposition campaign materials and advertisements in strategic high-visibility locations within the state.
“We were informed that the Governor had also directed billboard operators to remove existing opposition adverts materials from prime locations and to impose significantly, higher rates on opposition parties, reportedly, up to four times the standard costs.
“We were informed that the ruling party candidates are exempted from the harsh conditions imposed by Government. Until we saw the document from OYSAA, we thought the information circulating online could never be true.
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“It is our belief that this period, when over 40 students and teachers of Oriire Local Government are still in captivity, no one would have the time for dirty politics.
“In fact, we thought that at this point, the Government of Oyo state, like all of us would be concerned with the safe return of the abducted victims who are still languishing in captivity.
“However, the document from the office of OYSAA is saying something to the contrary. The Government of Oyo state, through OYSAA, had indeed came out with very far reaching rules and measures, which appear to target opposition political parties towards the 2027 general election.
“In a carefully worded letter directed to the Chairman, Outdoor Advertising Practitioners Association, Oyo state chapter, the Government of Oyo state came out with new rules guiding political activities, campaigns and advertisements.
“Not only that, Government introduced an outrageous permit fees for campaign activities for the 2027 general election. For the avoidance of doubts, the newly introduced campaign permit fees are as follow:
Presidential – 50,000,000
Gubernatorial – 30,000,000
Senatorial – 20,000,000
House of Reps- 5,000,000
House of Assembly – 1,500,000
Local Government Chairman – 2,500,000 and
Councilor – 100,000
“For emphasis sake, we will reproduce paragraphs 2 and 3 of the letter so that the general public would have the benefits of the draconic rules just released by the Oyo state Government regarding political activities.
Paragraph 2 says: ” no Practitioner shall deploy, erect, facilitate, display or undertake any campaign advertisements, promotional material or campaign activity on behalf of any political party, candidate, campaign organization or support group without first ensuring that requisite campaign permit has been obtained from OYSAA.”
Paragraph 3: ” the campaign permit shall cover but shall not be limited to political rallies and road shows, posters, handbills and campaign flyers, banners, flex materials and campaign signage, branded vehicles and mobile advertisements, public address systems and mobile campaign units, campaign boots and activation stands, campaign-branded T-shirts, caps and souvenirs, billboards and outdoor advertising structures and any other political campaign or promotional materials deployed within Oyo state “.
“Now, let us ask Governor Makinde, are we at war? We note that he had once threatened ‘ Weti e’, a very unfortunate phrase associated with violence, and which every reasonable Nigerian would rather wish to forget about”.
“A careful study of the new rules would reveal that Governor Seyi Makinde has just weaponized an Agency of the state Government, the OYSAA, to go against opposition political parties. Though, veiled, the intentions behind this new rules are very clear.
“We are not bothered at all by this unfortunate but ill-advised rules. We know our rights, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We know that Governor Seyi Makinde is in a panic mode.
“We also know that he is staring defeat directly in the face in the coming election and we want to tell him that, not even this draconian Law will save him from imminent defeat.
“We want to remind him that he was once an opposition figure in this state and the sitting Governor at the time did not hound him or harass him with the instruments of state power.
“We are also not unaware of his constant misuse of power and authority. The sort of which drove him to threaten innocent litigants with state power sometimes ago. We call on the general public to appeal to Governor Seyi Makinde to approach the 2027 general election with decorum and civility. What will be will be”.
