Former INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, has said the ₦10 million reward promised by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to councillors who deliver their wards for President Bola Tinubu could be investigated under the Electoral Act.
Naija News reports that Okoye, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, said the matter could be taken up by the police, the electoral commission or any citizen.
When asked whether a member of the public could petition the authorities if INEC failed to act, Okoye said yes.
“If the law enforcement agencies believe that there is a possibility that an offence has been committed, they can take it up, and the INEC can also petition the relevant authorities, and they can cause an investigation, and then the commission can prosecute such an offender,” he explained.
The lawyer cited Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which makes it an offence to corruptly give, offer or promise any inducement to secure the return of a candidate or the votes of electors.
He noted that Wike’s argument that the money would be paid only after the election did not resolve the legal issue, as the law also covers promises and offers.
Okoye, however, pointed out that Section 125(3) excludes payments made for legitimate and lawful election-related expenses.
Recall that Wike had made the pledge to FCT councillors at a political gathering, but has since insisted that the offer was meant to encourage mobilisation and was not an instruction to buy votes.
