Wike defends high campaign billboard rates, says ‘politics is expensive everywhere’
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the high cost of billboard advertising in Abuja amid complaints by opposition parties over the affordability of campaign platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike spoke during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, following concerns by opposition parties that the rising cost of billboard spaces in the FCT could limit their ability to reach voters.
Billboards remain one of the advertising platforms used by political parties to publicise candidates and campaign messages during election periods.
However, some opposition parties have complained that the cost of securing prominent billboard spaces in the FCT has increased significantly.
Reacting to the concerns, Wike said political campaigns were expensive globally and argued that parties could also use social media platforms to reach their supporters.
“Politics is expensive all over the world,” he said, adding that political parties could take advantage of their social media platforms to campaign.
The minister maintained that the increase in billboard charges was part of the FCT administration’s efforts to generate revenue rather than a deliberate attempt to disadvantage opposition parties.
“We want money. The FCT wants money, and part of us making money is through the billboards to raise our revenue.
“If we know that in a given time, people will rush the billboard and authority feel that we will raise the funds to make more money,” he said.
Wike insisted that the charges were not introduced to target any political party, saying the revenue generated would be used to provide infrastructure in the territory.
He stated, “The authority did not raise funds against you, because it is you.
“I am going to use the money to do more roads, to improve the schools.”
The former Rivers State governor also dismissed the importance attached to billboard advertising in determining election outcomes, arguing that political parties should not rely solely on the medium to win votes.
“For Christ’s sake, a billboard does not win an election; how many people in the villages know about the billboard?” he said.
On concerns about equal access to campaign platforms, Wike argued that major political parties also pay for premium advertising slots in media organisations.
He said the FCT administration was primarily concerned with generating revenue and was not responsible for determining which political parties secured billboard spaces.
“People go and pay a year ahead for billboards, ‘how will I know?’ ‘My business is not going to ask, who and who paid for the billboard; I have no business there,” he said.
Wike also challenged opposition parties alleging discrimination to submit formal complaints to the FCT administration, insisting that none had approached him over the issue.
“Let them complain to us; no one has complained to us. Nobody has complained to me,” he said.
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