APC Accused of Luring Opposition Lawmakers With Cash, Tickets, and Contracts
Alleged APC Strategy: Incentives, Promises Fuel Opposition Defections Amid 2027 Power Realignments
Fresh revelations suggest that the Presidency and national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be actively incentivizing defections from opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to credible political sources, high-profile opposition figures are reportedly being enticed with automatic tickets for upcoming elections and access to lucrative government contracts as part of a broader plan to consolidate support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The move is believed to be a strategic effort to reinforce the APC’s dominance by absorbing influential opposition lawmakers, governors, and party leaders, particularly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Analysts note that these inducements are being positioned as part of a broader national interest or ideological alignment, but many insiders claim the motivations are primarily political and economic.
One such case is the recent defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who left the PDP for the APC. Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno has also made statements interpreted as distancing himself from the PDP amid its growing internal crises.
Observers say these moves hint at a larger trend of first-term opposition governors and lawmakers reconsidering their political futures.
Among those reportedly being courted are governors and lawmakers from strategic states, including Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Plateau, and Enugu.
Some of these governors, although yet to officially switch allegiance, are said to be favorably inclined toward the Tinubu administration, particularly in light of ongoing instability and leadership wrangling within the PDP.
Alleged Offers: Cash, Contracts, and Guaranteed Tickets
Reports indicate that the APC may be promising opposition legislators — particularly in the Senate and House of Representatives — large sums of money, high-value federal projects, and guaranteed nominations for the 2027 general elections.
These promises are allegedly extended even to politically influential individuals not holding current elective or appointive positions.
Although these claims have been widely circulated, they remain unverified. The Presidency, APC, and several defectors have denied the allegations or declined to comment.
Nonetheless, sources maintain that the incentives are a key factor in the current wave of defections.
For instance, Senator Kawu Sumaila, who recently defected from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the APC, was linked to a federal government-approved N90 billion dam rehabilitation project in Kano.
Though he acknowledged his role in securing the project, he denied any quid pro quo arrangement tied to his party switch.
Opposition Unity Threatened
The development poses a significant challenge to ongoing coalition efforts led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures who had hoped to present a united front against the APC in 2027.
Instead, defections have weakened the PDP’s grip on the South and disrupted potential third-force momentum being explored through alternative platforms like the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In contrast, the APC appears to be gaining momentum, consolidating support among influential southern politicians by leveraging the longstanding North-South power rotation principle — arguing that President Tinubu should be allowed to complete two terms, just as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, did for the North.
Political analysts view these strategic moves by the APC as part of a calculated pre-election playbook designed to weaken the opposition by capitalizing on internal divisions, leadership crises, and economic anxieties.
The Road to 2027
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the outcome of the PDP’s upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on May 27 may prove pivotal.
Decisions on party leadership, zoning, and strategic direction could determine whether the PDP regains cohesion or faces further fragmentation.
Until then, the political realignment continues — driven not only by ideology or performance but by promises of power, privilege, and economic reward.
APC Accused of Luring Opposition Lawmakers With Cash, Tickets, and Contracts