The 2027 election battle has taken a dramatic turn, with Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftain Buba Galadima alleging that opposition candidates are being offered millions of naira and luxury vehicles to abandon their tickets for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Galadima alleged that the inducement package ranges from N50 million for state Assembly candidates to N2 billion for governorship candidates, depending on the position being contested.
Appearing on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Tuesday, the NDC chieftain claimed that House of Representatives candidates willing to withdraw for APC candidates were being offered N200 million and a car.
He alleged that senatorial candidates were being offered N500 million and a Jeep, while governorship candidates were allegedly being offered N2 billion and a Jeep to surrender their tickets.
Galadima further claimed that some candidates had already withdrawn from the race after allegedly collecting the money.
He alleged that a woman from Zamfara State was coordinating the distribution of the funds from a hotel in Abuja.
“There’s a lady from Zamfara State who is sharing the money in a hotel here in Abuja,” Galadima alleged.
He further claimed that the woman recently met APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and presented candidates who had allegedly agreed to abandon their tickets.
According to him, the candidates had written resignation letters and collected the alleged payments.
Galadima portrayed the alleged operation as an attempt to reduce opposition competition before Nigerians get to the ballot box.
He also alleged that President Bola Tinubu and APC governors were seeking to secure contests with little or no effective opposition.
The allegations, however, remain unsubstantiated. Galadima did not present documentary evidence during the interview to establish the alleged payments, identify the candidates involved or independently verify the alleged Abuja hotel operation.
Neither the APC nor Yilwatda had publicly responded to the latest allegations as of Wednesday.
The claims come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with defections, realignments and candidate-selection battles increasingly shaping the emerging contest.
If independently established, the alleged payments would raise serious questions about the conduct and competitiveness of the electoral process. For now, however, the claims remain allegations made by Galadima and should not be treated as established facts.