Chieftain of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has alleged that politicians seeking elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections are being offered millions of naira and vehicles to withdraw from the contests and allow candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge unopposed.
Galadima made the allegation on Tuesday evening while appearing on Arise Television, monitored by ChroniclesReporters.
According to him, politicians contesting seats in State Houses of Assembly are allegedly being offered N50 million each to withdraw their candidacies in favour of APC candidates.
He further alleged that aspirants seeking seats in the House of Representatives were being offered N200 million and vehicles, while senatorial aspirants were allegedly being offered N500 million and a Jeep to step aside.
For governorship aspirants, Galadima claimed that those willing to withdraw from the race were allegedly being offered N2 billion and a Jeep.
He alleged that the alleged financial inducements were being coordinated from a hotel in Asokoro, Abuja, by a woman from Zamfara State, claiming that security personnel, including operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), were providing protection at the location.
“As we speak now, if you go to Carlton Hotel in Asokoro, there is a lady from Zamfara who is sharing money,” Galadima alleged.
He claimed the alleged payments were part of a broader strategy by President Bola Tinubu and APC governors to weaken opposition parties and ensure that APC candidates face little or no competition in the 2027 elections.
“President Tinubu and all his governors are afraid of contest; they want to win unopposed,” he said.
Galadima alleged that some politicians had already accepted the purported financial inducements and formally withdrawn from their respective contests.
“Every member of the House of Assembly who agrees to forfeit his ticket and withdraw for APC candidate is being given N50 million,” he alleged.
“There are a lot of security people, DSS people, and everybody in the hotel as you go now.”
He further alleged that the woman purportedly involved in distributing the money had recently met with APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, where candidates who had allegedly surrendered their tickets were presented.
“She just held a meeting about three or four days ago with Professor Nentawe, the chairman of APC, showing some candidates who have forfeited their right to contest the election. They wrote resignation and they collected money,” Galadima alleged.
He also claimed that the alleged inducement programme was being implemented across different states.
“Every House of Representatives member who agrees to let go his candidature will be given N200 million with their car,” he said.
“Several have collected, and they are still collecting from state to state.”
When asked by the television presenter whether he was alleging that politicians from opposition parties were being financially induced to withdraw from elections to pave the way for APC candidates, Galadima answered in the affirmative.
He, however, acknowledged that the claims remained allegations and that he did not personally possess evidence capable of independently establishing them.
The presenter also cautioned that the claims could not be treated as established facts without supporting evidence.
Galadima subsequently called on journalists to investigate the allegations and establish their veracity.
“I am saying this because I want you as an investigative journalist to try to investigate the veracity of my claims. I may be wrong. I may be wrong, but this is the information we have,” he said.
The NDC chieftain claimed that some members of his party had attended meetings where the alleged arrangements were discussed and subsequently reported the information to the party leadership.
He said the alleged financial inducements extended to higher elective positions, including the Senate and governorship.
“If you are contesting for Senate, you have N500 million plus a Jeep. If you are contesting for governor and you want to withdraw, it’s N2 billion naira plus a Jeep,” he alleged.
Galadima also accused the APC-led government of creating obstacles for opposition politicians attempting to campaign in different parts of the country.
He alleged that opposition politicians were being prevented from freely conducting political activities in some areas and that some opposition gatherings had encountered hostility.
His allegations come amid intensified political realignments, defections, alliances and withdrawals by politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC has continued to attract politicians from opposition parties, while aspirants across different political platforms have also withdrawn from contests, endorsed other candidates or changed political parties.
However, Galadima’s claims that such withdrawals are being secured through payments ranging from N50 million to N2 billion, alongside vehicles, remain allegations requiring independent verification.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC, Yilwatda, the Presidency and the DSS had not publicly responded to the specific allegations made by Galadima.
The allegations have raised questions about the transparency of the political candidate-selection process ahead of the 2027 elections and whether aspirants are being pressured or financially induced to abandon their political ambitions.
Galadima argued that allowing such alleged activities to continue could undermine political competition and democratic participation in the country.
“Why should we call it democracy? We can just as well call it fascism or dictatorship or monarchy,” he said.
He maintained that political parties should be allowed to campaign freely across the country, arguing that political actors could not claim to support democracy while allegedly restricting the activities of opposition parties.
With the 2027 general elections still months away, political parties have already commenced preparations involving candidate selection, defections, alliances and other forms of political realignment.
Galadima’s allegations, if independently established, could raise serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the level of competition expected in the 2027 elections.