The All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly intensifying its efforts to secure Edo State ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election, deploying a strategy of vote buying using state governors under the party’s platform.
Sources reveal that the party is mobilizing various state governors to oversee financial operations and facilitate vote buying in different local government areas of Edo State.
According to insider information, the APC’s plan involves assigning governors from across Nigeria to specific local governments in Edo State for the purpose of inducing voters.
The strategy, reportedly conceived during a recent party meeting in Abuja, aims to tilt the election in favour of the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The meeting, attended by Philip Shaibu, the former deputy governor of Edo State, outlined a strategy that includes extensive financial inducements to sway voters.
Sources suggest that President Bola Tinubu is backing the initiative, due to his desperation to consolidate control in southern and central regions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Tinubu is losing his strong grip in the north and is now focusing on the south and the middle belt to secure his position for another term in 2027,” a source close to the APC revealed.
“The plan is to install APC governors in all off-cycle elections before the 2027 polls. Edo is their testing ground, with similar plans for Anambra in 2025,” he added.
As part of this strategy, APC governors have reportedly begun using funds allocated for their states to mobilize support in Edo. However, there are mounting concerns and reports of corruption within these schemes.
Already, party coordinators tasked with implementing the plans are pocketing funds intended for voter mobilization, exploiting the unpopularity of the APC in the state.
“Despite their efforts, there are troubling reports of mismanagement of funds and deceit within the ranks of those implementing these schemes,” said a source.
“The governors are being scammed because the funds are not reaching the intended recipients,” he further said.
The APC’s tactics have drawn widespread criticism and raised alarm among political observers and stakeholders.
There are calls for heightened vigilance to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and to prevent the misuse of state resources for partisan advantage.