2027: APC speaks on Wike's N10m reward for delivering Tinubu

Nentawe Yilwatda, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, defended the proposed N10 million incentive announced by Rivers State's Minister Nyesom Wike for political wards that support President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. The proposed reward would not be considered as vote buying if paid post-election, as it would be a recognition of political performance, Yilwatda argued while discussing the matter on Channels Television's Politics Today programme.

Wike had promised the generous reward to any political ward in Rivers State that delivers Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. In response to the announcement, Yilwatda stressed that the timing of payment was crucial in determining whether the arrangement constitutes vote buying or not. The payment made after the election, when the winner has been declared and all legal procedures are completed, could not be regarded as an inducement to voters, Yilwatda explained.

"If the money is given after the election has been concluded and the winner has been declared and there's nothing at stake again. If the court has proven and all the legal process has been followed that you legally delivered your ward by giving you 10 million naira, I don't see it as vote buying, never," he said. However, he reiterated that offering the money beforehand to influence voters would indeed be considered vote buying.

"But if he wants to do vote buying, he would have said, 'I'm going to give you 10 million naira, so I use the money to buy votes on election day so they can vote for President Tinubu for me. That's vote buying," he added.