The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has defended the N10 million reward promised by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to councillors who safe victory for President Bola Tinubu and different APC candidates of their wards through the 2027 normal elections.
Yilwatda dismissed options that the provide amounted to vote shopping for, insisting that the cash was a post-election reward designed to encourage councillors to ship their respective wards for the ruling celebration.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, the APC chairman mentioned the promise was directed at about 60 councillors within the FCT and would solely be fulfilled after the elections and the emergence of declared winners.
“He was speaking to the FCT councillors in the forum, and I’m sure it’s addressing something about 62 or 60-something councillors in the FCT,” he mentioned.
When requested whether or not the monetary incentive amounted to voter inducement, Yilwatda argued that political events routinely present funds for mobilisation and different marketing campaign actions.
“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 mentioned.
He additional defended the timing of the proposed fee, arguing that it will be made solely after the electoral course of had been concluded and the outcomes established.
According to him, the association was much like rewarding people for attaining set targets, including that the councillors wouldn’t obtain the cash earlier than the polls.
“The money is not given before the election. It doesn’t matter? No, it matters. It matters because 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 rules have been followed—that you legally deliver your ward by giving you N10 million,” he mentioned.
Pressed additional on whether or not he thought of Wike’s promise to be vote shopping for, Yilwatda maintained his place, responding: “Never.”
Wike had introduced the N10 million incentive throughout a political assembly in Kwali Area Council, promising to reward every councillor who delivers their ward for Tinubu and the APC within the 2027 normal elections.
Meanwhile, the APC chairman declined to take a position on whether or not the celebration would assist the re-election of Senate President Godswill Akpabio if he secures one other time period within the Senate.
Yilwatda mentioned the selection of the subsequent Senate President can be decided by senators themselves quite than the celebration management.
“Let’s wait for the election first. I don’t have anybody in mind. The Senate will determine who they want to make the Senate President,” he mentioned.
On considerations over electoral violence forward of the 2027 normal elections, the APC chairman expressed sympathy for victims of political assaults however insisted that his celebration supported peaceable, free and truthful elections.
“If anybody is injured by anybody across the country, I’m sure it shouldn’t be by APC supporters. I pity anybody who is being injured, and I sympathise with them. Our party stands for free and fair elections,” he mentioned.
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