The administration of President Bola Tinubu has been accused of running a massive financial inducement scheme to lure opposition governors and lawmakers into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to top Presidency sources cited by SaharaReporters, defecting governors reportedly receive ₦250 billion, senators ₦1 billion, and House of Representatives members ₦500 million each. The funds are said to be disbursed in two tranches — ₦100 billion upfront once commitment is shown and the remaining ₦150 billion after the official defection ceremony.
The alleged incentives are believed to be driving the recent wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, including those of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Governor Mbah, while announcing his move in October, said he joined the APC to “better serve the people” and align with its vision for progress. Similarly, Governor Diri, who defected in early November, described his decision as being in Bayelsa’s best interest, stressing that “politics should be about development, not destruction.”
Diri’s defection raised the number of APC governors to 25 and marked the fourth PDP governor to cross over this year.
