The Bola Tinubu administration has been accused of using huge financial incentives to persuade opposition governors and lawmakers to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to sources within the Presidency, the defection drive is being coordinated by top officials close to the President and involves massive payouts to political figures who agree to switch parties.
Each state governor who defects reportedly receives a total of N250 billion, released in two tranches — N100 billion as an initial “grant” upon commitment and N150 billion after the formal defection ceremony. Senators are said to get N1 billion each, while members of the House of Representatives receive N500 million.
Recent high-profile defections include Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), all of whom left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the APC.
Governor Mbah described his move as a step toward aligning with the APC’s “vision for development and progress,” while Diri said his defection was made “in the best interest of Bayelsa State.”
With these defections, the APC now controls 25 states and has welcomed its fourth PDP governor this year, marking a major realignment in Nigeria’s political landscape.
