Wike explains N10m promise to councillors, denies vote-buying

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained his promise to give councillors N10 million each for delivering their wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections. He said this offer is meant to reward hard work, not to buy votes.

Wike stated that he did not tell councillors to give money to voters to sway their choices. Instead, he encouraged them to show commitment through effective political mobilization.

His comments came in a statement released on Tuesday by his media aide, Lere Olayinka. This was after he toured 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,’” he said.

Wike explained that rewarding political mobilizers for achieving specific goals is not the same as giving money to voters for their support. He compared the proposed reward to incentives given to athletes who win in international competitions. He said that promises of houses and other benefits aim to encourage hard work and commitment.

He questioned why similar incentives in politics should be seen as bribery. Wike also criticized parts of the media for not being able to tell the difference between genuine rewards and vote-buying.

He pointed out that political parties and candidates often spend money on campaign ads without facing similar criticism. He urged journalists to differentiate between money meant to influence voters and rewards for political mobilization.

Wike faced backlash after his announcement at a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Kwali Area Council on Monday. He had promised N10 million to every councillor who successfully delivered their ward to Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

“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,” he said.

The minister also asked councillors to mobilize residents and community groups to ensure the APC wins in their wards. During his inspection tour on Tuesday, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway, and S1 Road, which has a fire station.

He said these projects are set to be completed by December 15. Wike believes that the infrastructure achievements of Tinubu’s administration will provide a solid foundation for its re-election campaign.

He insisted that his support for Tinubu’s administration is based on development, not party loyalty. He said Nigerians who want progress should back policies and programs aimed at national development.