N50 Million Campaign Fee– Dino Melaye Drags Kogi Govt To FCCPC

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for Kogi State Governorship election, Senator Dino Melaye, has dragged the Kogi State government to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over what he describes as an outrageous cost of placing campaign adverts in the state.

The FCCPC operates within the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and is responsible for protecting market competition and promoting consumer protection.

The PDP chieftain, during his visit to the Commission, said payment of N50 million deposit to the Kogi government for the purpose of placing campaign adverts is unacceptable.

According to Nigerian Tribune, Melaye said not only did the high costs of placing adverts contradict what the FCCPC stands for, but it also went against section 88 of the Electoral Act, which states that a governorship candidate should not spend above N100 million for election.

“We are here to lay this complaint because the Kogi state government has declared that for any political party in Kogi state to advertise, raise billboards, paste posters and other signages, you will have to make the payment of a whopping sum of N50 million deposit. Then, there is an N2 million price on each billboard that is mounted or erected within the territorial space of Kogi State.

“By the time we look at the available billboard we have already, we will have to pay over one billion naira, to advertise and promote our political party through signages across the state.

“Section 88 of the electoral act is very clear, that we are not permitted as a party or governorship candidate to spend more than one billion naira for our elections. So, if signages alone cost us N1 billion, then we will be committing an offence because we would have contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act.

“They have given outrageous prices as it relates to pricing, and I know your mandates also forbid excessive pricing. By your mandates and the acts establishing this commission, you are also against a strenuous, excessive pricing system and also to protect competition.” he said.

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