N10m For Each FCT Councillor Not For Vote-Buying – Wike

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, mentioned his promise to pay every councillor N10m for delivering their respective wards for President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 normal elections isn’t an try to purchase votes.

Wike mentioned the proposed fee was meant to reward political mobilisation and electoral efficiency.

He argued that he had neither requested the councillors to induce voters with cash nor provided them funds to distribute to the citizens.

He spoke on Tuesday throughout an inspection of ongoing infrastructure tasks in Abuja, two days after promising to pay the councillors N10m every in the event that they delivered their respective wards for Tinubu.

THE WHISTLER reported on Monday that the minister made the provide, which attracted criticism over its implications for the electoral course of.

Defending the promise, Wike mentioned there was a distinction between rewarding political mobilisers for reaching electoral targets and giving voters cash in change for his or her votes.

“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 mentioned.

The minister likened the proposed reward to incentives given to athletes who win worldwide competitions, arguing that guarantees of homes and different advantages to excellent performers had been meant to encourage arduous work.

He questioned why comparable incentives in politics ought to routinely be interpreted as bribery, whereas criticising sections of the media for failing to differentiate between rewarding political mobilisation and inducing voters.

Wike additionally argued that political events and candidates spend closely on marketing campaign ads with out attracting comparable scrutiny, urging journalists to look at the excellence between the 2 practices.

Meanwhile, the minister mentioned ongoing infrastructure tasks in Abuja, together with Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and S1 Road, which includes a hearth station, had been heading in the right direction for completion by December 15.

He mentioned the tasks could be accomplished forward of the January 16, 2027 normal elections.

Wike mentioned the administration’s infrastructure file could be a promoting level in its 2027 re-election marketing campaign.