EXTORTION AS ELECTORAL STRATEGY: OJI RIVER COUNCIL AND ENSSAA IMPOSE EXORBITANT ₦150 MILLION CAMPAIGN PERMIT TO SUFFOCATE OPPOSITION

The administrative apparatus of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, operating through subservient council chairmen, has reached a new peak of democratic intolerance following an official memo issued by Oji River Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Greg Chijioke Anyaegbudike.  

​The official directive—addressed to all registered political parties and candidates in Oji River LGA—enforces a mandatory ₦150 million advertising permit fee dictated by the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) for the 2026/2027 election cycle. Under the guise of maintaining "environmental aesthetics" and "orderliness," the state government is weaponizing regulatory agencies to convert basic constitutional campaign rights into an extortion scheme designed to cripple rival candidates. 

 The core breakdowns exposing the absurdity and illegality of this administrative mandate include:

​Incomprehensible Financial Barrier: Demanding a staggering ₦150 million fee just to distribute basic handbills, wear branded t-shirts and caps, mount banners, or hold peaceful rallies in local communities represents an unconstitutional poll tax aimed strictly at pricing opposition parties out of the electoral space.  

​Weaponization of Local Government Chairmen: Council leaders like Mr. Greg Chijioke Anyaegbudike have abandoned basic municipal duties—such as road maintenance and public welfare—to act as revenue collectors and political gatekeepers enforcing state-level suppression tactics against political opponents.  

​Absurd Definition of Outdoor Advertising: Categorizing personal items like branded caps, handbills, street walks, and vehicle stickers as "outdoor signage" requiring a multi-million Naira agency permit exposes a total collapse of legal logic within the Mbah administration.  

​Selective Enforcement and Electoral Panic: While the ruling party deploys state funds and public infrastructure freely for its own campaigns, imposing financial sanctions and police threats against opposition parties proves that the state leadership is terrified of facing a fair, open contest at the ballot box.  

​Attempting to freeze political competition through absurd ₦150 million tolls exposes an administration trembling at the prospect of genuine public scrutiny. No amount of predatory directives or local council threats will prevent Ndi Enugu from exercising their democratic rights and rejecting political extortion at the polls.