Wike’s N10m Election Reward Sparks Controversy as APC Chairman Rejects Vote-Buying Claims

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended a controversial N10 million reward promised by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to councillors who secure their wards for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, dismissed allegations that the pledge amounted to vote buying, describing it instead as a political mobilisation incentive designed to motivate grassroots leaders.
Yilwatda made the remarks on Monday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he was questioned about the propriety of offering financial rewards to elected officials in exchange for delivering electoral victories.
Wike had reportedly made the promise during a political meeting in Kwali Area Council, telling councillors that each of them would receive N10 million if they delivered their respective wards for Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Defending the FCT minister, Yilwatda argued that financial mobilisation was a common feature of political activities and insisted that the arrangement should not be interpreted as an attempt to purchase votes.
“Which political party doesn’t release money for mobilisation? Which political party? So, tell me one. No, it’s not for votes. The same reward for you to deliver Tinubu in your ward,” he said.
The APC chairman further explained that the proposed payment would only be made after the elections had been concluded and the results legally established.
According to him, the timing of the payment was important because the money would not be distributed before voters went to the polls.
He argued that once the electoral process had been completed, the declaration of results and the resolution of any legal disputes would leave no opportunity for the proposed reward to influence voters.
Yilwatda also compared the arrangement to incentives given to students who excel academically, maintaining that rewarding performance should not automatically be regarded as an attempt to manipulate an outcome.
When pressed on whether the N10 million pledge could constitute vote buying, the APC chairman firmly rejected the suggestion.
“Never,” he said.
The controversy comes as political parties and their leaders intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with grassroots mobilisation expected to play a significant role in the contest.
Meanwhile, Wike’s pledge has drawn attention to the growing debate over the use of financial incentives in political mobilisation and where the distinction lies between rewarding political performance and attempting to influence an electoral process.
The APC leadership has maintained that it supports free and fair elections, despite the questions surrounding the minister’s financial promise.