₦10m gift: Lawyer warns Wike, other politicians against electoral inducement

A constitutional lawyer and public affairs commentator, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other politicians against making financial promises that could undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

Ahiakwo was reacting to reports that Wike had promised to give each councillor ₦10 million for delivering his or her ward for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

The minister had defended the offer as a reward for political mobilisation rather than an attempt to buy votes.

However, Ahiakwo said describing such payments as mobilisation rewards did not automatically exempt them from legal scrutiny, insisting that their purpose, circumstances and intended application must be examined under the law.

In a statement in Calabar, the lawyer cited Section 125(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 2026, which prohibits corrupt gifts, offers, promises or agreements intended to induce another person to procure or endeavour to procure an electoral outcome.

Questioning the idea of elected councillors being tasked with delivering their wards to political benefactors, Ahiakwo said the electorate, not politicians or their associates, owned the votes.

He argued that no politician, regardless of influence or public office, had proprietary rights over the electoral choices of citizens.

Ahiakwo said the controversy reflected a broader problem in Nigeria’s democracy, where some political actors appeared willing to disregard established rules whenever they conflicted with their political interests.

He said the country’s challenge was not necessarily the absence of laws but the unwillingness of some politicians to submit themselves to the discipline of those laws.

The commentator urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide clearer guidance on the distinction between legitimate political mobilisation and prohibited electoral inducement.

He also called on the commission to establish accessible channels for reporting suspected electoral violations and ensure that credible allegations received prompt attention.

Ahiakwo further urged political parties to strengthen internal discipline, while calling on the National Assembly to improve oversight of campaign financing, electoral compliance and the use of public resources for partisan activities.

He said law-enforcement agencies should investigate suspected electoral offences impartially, irrespective of the political status or influence of those involved, and prosecute offenders where sufficient evidence exists.

The lawyer also called on citizens and civil society organisations to document and report suspected electoral violations, while advocating stronger political education to discourage the treatment of votes as commodities.

He warned that the 2027 elections must not become another opportunity for politicians to test how far they could stretch electoral laws without consequences.

According to him, Nigeria needs leaders who understand that winning elections must be guided by constitutional and legal provisions, stressing that political power is temporary but the damage caused by undermining democratic institutions could last for generations.