- Says APC govs have excessive public funds to ‘buy votes’
BY VICTOR BUORO – With political activities already gaining momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Director of Research of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, has warned that mega bucks and brute force will determine the eventual winner of next year’s presidential election.
Speaking against the backdrop of concerns regarding the intense competition and the significant influence of financial resources in the upcoming electoral cycle, Dr Fapohunda speculated that what the 31 All Progressives Congress (APC), Governors need to do is to dedicate their four-month Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to ‘buy’ the election.
He said given the spiralling hunger in the land, all the ruling Party will need to do is give each voter N20,000 and N50,000 instead of the usual N5,000, for them vote and guarantee wining the election at all costs.
According to him: “We now have 31 Governors who are in one basket; all they need to do is to devote the four-month FAAC allocation to buy whatever is ready to be bought. You can’t beat that. Any money that comes, even if it’s from the devil, people will take it.
“If you vote, don’t collect N5,000, collect N20,000, N50,000; that’s what is going to happen. So, whosoever has might, will win. Election is war, everything is fair when you are fighting a war. If APC has the tool to defeat ADC and PDP, they are in a war front. It’s a war, in a do-or-die situation, who wants to die? APC wants to live and others must die. Until we change the rules and bring the temperature down to a civilised society, everything is fair.”
Also commenting on Afenifere’s position about restructuring, Fapohunda said the organisation has submitted a demand for restructuring and creation of western Nigeria to the National Assembly, insisting that contrary to insinuations in some circles, restructuring is not a recipe for anarchy.
Dr Fapohunda, who explained that restructuring will be voluntary to all entities, with a referendum prepared by the association to make it open and fair to all, said: “Restructuring is not a recipe for anarchy. In Yoruba land, we have six states, but it might be eight; we are looking at Kogi and Kwara States because they are Yoruba people too. It’s going to be voluntary; it won’t be by force.”
Citing an example with the Yoruba nation, the Afenifere Research Director said: “In Yoruba land, we have 26 entities, Ijebu is Ijebu, Osogbo is Osogbo, Oyo is Oyo, Ibadan is Ibadan, among others”, adding that: “They have different dialects but they are Yoruba people and they are free to be on their own.”
