₦airaland Forum

Serious allegations have emerged suggesting potential undue influence on senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Sources within INEC told SaharaReporters that land allocations and financial inducements were extended to numerous top Commission officials, raising questions about the independence and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral umpire.

According to insiders, more than 29 senior INEC officials were offered parcels of land within the Federal Capital Territory, along with financial incentives reportedly exceeding $50,000 per individual.

Those named include the Secretary to the Commission, several National Commissioners, and Directors.

Specifically, the individuals allegedly involved include Mrs. Rose Omoa Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission; National Commissioners Sam Olumekun, Dr. Ken Ukeagu, Mr. Haruna Mohammed, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Dr. Bala Bila, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Prof. Sani Adam (SAN), Abdulrazaq Tukur Yusuf, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, and Prof. Nwambam Aja; as well as Directors Olawale Ibrahim S., Dr. Binta K. Mohammed, Isah Magaji Gummi, Lawrence Bayode, Victoria Eta-Messi, and six other Directors of the Commission.

The sources further allege that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, may have indirectly benefited from similar arrangements, with a particularly large parcel of land reportedly exceeding 30 hectares linked to him via proxy.

The reports indicate that the land allocations initially came with Rights of Occupancy (R of O).

“However, due to non-payment of the required Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) fees within the stipulated 21-day period, as required under FCT/AGIS (Abuja Geographic Information System) regulations, the allocations were reportedly revoked,” an insider told SaharaReporters.

Subsequent interventions allegedly included financial assistance to cover the fees or complete waivers, enabling officials to retain ownership without personal cost.

“These steps to revalidate the expired allocations reportedly included either financial support to cover the C of O fees or the possible waiver of such fees entirely, thereby enabling beneficiaries to retain ownership without personal cost,” a source said.

Each plot’s estimated market value is said to exceed ₦180 million.

However, efforts by SaharaReporters to reach Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, were unsuccessful, as he neither answered calls nor responded to a text message. Similar attempts to obtain a reaction from INEC Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, also proved unsuccessful.

On Wednesday, INEC announced plans to remove the names of Senator David Mark and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, from its official portal as leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing a subsisting court dispute over the party’s leadership.

Mark is the National Chairman while Aregbesola is the National Secretary of the party.

The electoral body also declared that it would suspend recognition of any faction or leadership of the ADC pending the final determination of the case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The decision was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

INEC said the move followed “preservatory orders” issued by the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 involving Senator David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe.

The commission explained that the court had directed all parties to maintain the existing situation before the suit was filed and to refrain from actions that could undermine the ongoing proceedings.

Later on Wednesday, SaharaReporters confirmed that INEC had removed the names of the ADC leaders from its portal, replacing them with the notation “By court order.”

Meanwhile, the ADC has called for the immediate resignation of the INEC Chairman, accusing the electoral body of partisanship and undermining Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The opposition party said its demand became necessary following what it described as the alleged alignment of the electoral umpire with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the Commission had lost the credibility required to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.

Amupitan has defended the commission’s decision to derecognise the National Working Committee (NWC) aligned with Senator David Mark-led ADC, insisting that the electoral body merely complied with subsisting court orders and did not take sides in the ongoing leadership dispute rocking the party.

Ofunaofu:
This election will be obviously be the most rigged election ever to be conducted on planet earth

Odin13:
Wike is evil.. APC is evil … tinubu heads the coven.

These are people trying hard to destroy Nigeria democracy and na their tribes men go still protest and shout more tomorrow

We sit down Dey look ..

Be like na Biafrans e Dey favor more …
Nigerians fact is Nigeria our country is heading down the pit , faster than we all imagined or believe.

With all their power they’re scared of opposition, only be say they’re not God .. only gods worship by their tribe .

They will fail.. just as others before them.

Ofunaofu:
This election will be obviously be the most rigged election ever to be conducted on planet earth

Ballmer:
Same Tinubu that single-handedly financed NADECO which brought back democracy to Nigeria ?

Where were your Obi Atiku n Kwakwaso when Tinubu was investing heavily in democracy.

Did u just say he singlehandedly financed Nadeco... all these children sef... so u think say tinubu get that kyn money that time ?? Na im come de stay 3bedroom flat for London when e run ... person wey first squat with dele momodu when e first reach London

Ballmer:
Same Tinubu that single-handedly financed NADECO which brought back democracy to Nigeria ?

Where were your Obi Atiku n Kwakwaso when Tinubu was investing heavily in democracy.

Ballmer:
Same Tinubu that single-handedly financed NADECO which brought back democracy to Nigeria ?

Where were your Obi Atiku n Kwakwaso when Tinubu was investing heavily in democracy.

Ballmer:
Same Tinubu that single-handedly financed NADECO which brought back democracy to Nigeria ?

Where were your Obi Atiku n Kwakwaso when Tinubu was investing heavily in democracy.

Ballmer:
Same Tinubu that single-handedly financed NADECO which brought back democracy to Nigeria ?

Where were your Obi Atiku n Kwakwaso when Tinubu was investing heavily in democracy.

Odin13:
Wike is evil.. APC is evil … tinubu heads the coven.

These are people trying hard to destroy Nigeria democracy and na their tribes men go still protest and shout more tomorrow

We sit down Dey look ..

Be like na Biafrans e Dey favor more …
Nigerians fact is Nigeria our country is heading down the pit , faster than we all imagined or believe.

With all their power they’re scared of opposition, only be say they’re not God .. only gods worship by their tribe .

They will fail.. just as others before them.

orisa37:
WIKE, THE METHOD EXPERT AND THE LOGIC LAWYER.
GOD BLESS WIKE. MAY HIS LABOUR NEVER BE IN IN VAIN IJN AMEN..
THE LORD WATCHES OVER THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WAYS OF THE WICKED SHALL PERISH.

iwaeda:
Wike Boasts Of Helping APC Use Judiciary To Kill Osun LG Funds Case, Warns Party Leaders Against Ingratitude

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has openly boasted that he assisted certain elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in deploying the judiciary to frustrate the Osun State local government allocation lawsuit.

In a video now circulating widely on social media and obtained by SaharaReporters, Wike made the claim while addressing a crowd in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The former Rivers governor accused the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, of benefitting from judicial actions against the Osun State Government without knowing those who did the work behind the scenes.

The suit in question led to the withholding of local government funds in Osun State, a development widely seen as targeting the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as opposition in the state.

Wike, who spoke angrily, suggested that the court action supporting the APC’s position against the Osun government did not happen by chance, boasting that powerful political forces worked quietly to ensure the outcome.

“Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted,” Wike warned, in an apparent message to APC leaders defending Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “You have to be careful about the statements you make. You have to be very careful.”

He accused Basiru of political ingratitude, claiming the APC was enjoying in Osun State without understanding who engineered their advantage.

“Today, you are enjoying in Osun. You don’t know those who did the work,” Wike said. “You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State.”

https://saharareporters.com/2026/01/08/wike-boasts-helping-apc-use-judiciary-kill-osun-lg-funds-case-warns-party-leaders