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

A law lawyer and nationalist affairs commentator, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and different politicians against making fiscal promises that could undermine the integrity of Nigeria's electoral process.

Ahiakwo was reacting to reports that Wike had promised to springiness each councillor ₦10 cardinal for delivering his oregon her ward for President Bola Tinubu successful the 2027 wide elections.

The curate had defended the connection arsenic a reward for governmental mobilisation alternatively than an effort to bargain votes.

However, Ahiakwo said describing specified payments arsenic mobilisation rewards did not automatically exempt them from ineligible scrutiny, insisting that their purpose, circumstances and intended exertion indispensable beryllium examined nether the law.

In a connection successful Calabar, the lawyer cited Section 125(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 2026, which prohibits corrupt gifts, offers, promises oregon agreements intended to induce different idiosyncratic to procure oregon endeavour to procure an electoral outcome.

He noted that though morganatic run mobilisation and payments for genuine services were not automatically unlawful, the required elements of corrupt volition indispensable beryllium established earlier transgression liability could arise.

Questioning the thought of elected councillors being tasked with delivering their w...