The Kogi State Government through the State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KOSSAA), has announced a revised rate for political outdoor advertisement ahead of the next general elections.
General Manager of KOSSAA, Mr. Richard Osaseyi disclosed this while speaking with journalists shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting on guidelines for outdoor political campaign advertisement in Lokoja.
He said the reduction followed complaints by political parties and the intervention of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who appealed for leniency.
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According to him, under the new rates, Presidential candidates will pay N25 million, Senatorial candidates N20 million, and House of Representatives candidates N10 million.
Others are House of Assembly candidates, N1.5 million, Local Government Chairmanship candidates, N1 million, and Councillorship candidates, N250,000.
He said the agency will formally write to all political parties to notify them of the development and urged candidates to comply accordingly.
Mr. Osaseyi noted that the deadline for payment is the end of this month, after which enforcement will commence.
Earlier, the General Manager of the Kogi State Town Planning Board, Abdullahi Yusuf, said the meeting was timely and would promote orderliness, environmental responsibility, public safety and regulatory compliance in political campaign advertisement.
He frowned at the obstruction of highways, major roads, junctions and pedestrian walkways by political billboards and posters.
On her part, the representative of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, Hassanat Salau, called for compliance by political parties.
Responding, the State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Emmanuel Achimugu, said the party is ready to abide by the rules, while the Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Abubakar Bawa, called for a level playing field for all parties.
