Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended his pledge to give N10 million to each councillor who delivers their ward for President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is an incentive for political work rather than vote-buying.
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Wike said he did not instruct councillors to give money directly to voters to influence their choices. Instead, he said the reward is meant to encourage councillors to mobilise residents, engage community groups, and demonstrate commitment to the APC’s campaign.
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His position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, after an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” Wike said.
The minister argued that rewarding political mobilisers for meeting set targets is different from offering money to voters in exchange for support. He compared the proposed reward to incentives given to athletes who win international competitions, saying promises of houses and other benefits are meant to encourage hard work and commitment.
He questioned why similar incentives in politics should automatically be described as bribery. According to him, political parties and candidates regularly spend money on campaign advertisements without facing the same level of scrutiny.
Wike urged journalists to distinguish between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards given to political mobilisers for achieving electoral targets.
His defence followed criticism of his remarks at a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Kwali Area Council on Monday, where he promised N10 million to any councillor who successfully delivered their ward to Tinubu and other APC candidates in 2027.
“Any councillor that delivers his ward will get N10 million reward. Therefore, go and meet your leaders, go and meet your youth groups, go and consult with associations. Let’s deliver our ward to Mr President,” Wike had said.
He also urged councillors to mobilise residents and community associations to secure victory for the APC across their wards.
During Tuesday’s inspection, Wike expressed satisfaction with progress on infrastructure projects including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway, and the S1 Road, which includes a fire station. He said the projects are on course for completion by December 15.
Wike said the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure record would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign. He maintained that his support for the president is driven by development rather than party affiliation, adding that Nigerians who want progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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