Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has promised a ₦10 million reward to every councillor who successfully delivers their political ward for President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the announcement on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting attended by traditional rulers, political stakeholders and residents in Kwali Area Council, Abuja.
According to the minister, the financial incentive is part of a grassroots mobilisation strategy designed to strengthen support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Wike Charges Councillors to Mobilise Their Communities
Addressing the gathering, Wike urged councillors to engage traditional rulers, youth groups, community associations and other local stakeholders to secure electoral support for the President.
He declared that the Rainbow Coalition had agreed to reward councillors who successfully deliver their respective wards for Tinubu.
The minister described the arrangement as a competition intended to encourage grassroots political mobilisation, insisting that local leaders had an important role to play in determining electoral outcomes.
He also expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in parts of the FCT, particularly Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji.
APC Chairman Defends the ₦10 Million Incentive
The announcement has attracted attention because of questions surrounding the use of financial rewards in electoral mobilisation.
However, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda defended the proposal, arguing that a payment made after the election and the conclusion of legal processes would not automatically amount to vote buying.
He maintained that offering money before an election to influence how people vote would be different from rewarding political organisers for an established electoral outcome.
The distinction has added to the debate over the relationship between political mobilisation, financial incentives and electoral integrity ahead of 2027.
Wike Also Addresses Councillors’ Welfare and FCT Development
Beyond the election campaign, Wike promised to look into concerns about the salaries of FCT councillors after Gambo Hamza, Chairman of the National Councillors Forum of Nigeria in the FCT, reportedly disclosed that councillors earn ₦260,000 monthly.
The minister also highlighted infrastructure projects across the FCT’s satellite communities, including road construction, and defended the administration’s support for traditional rulers.
He further called for improved political representation for FCT residents at the National Assembly, arguing that the territory’s growing population deserves greater legislative representation. Wike’s ₦10 million promise has introduced another talking point into the political conversation ahead of the 2027 general elections. While the minister presents the initiative as a grassroots mobilisation strategy, questions about its implementation and implications for electoral integrity are likely to remain part of public debate.
Ultimately, the 2027 election will test whether the political support being promised by grassroots leaders translates into actual votes.
OGM News NG will continue to monitor political developments, campaign strategies and electoral activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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