PDP Demands INEC Clarification Over Alleged Land, Cash Gifts from Wike

Fresh controversy is brewing around Nigeria’s electoral body as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain allegations involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said reports claiming that Wike offered land and cash gifts to senior INEC officials were troubling and risked eroding public confidence in the commission.

“Last week, the media was awash with reports that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, offered land and cash gifts to senior officials of the commission,” the party said. It added that a subsequent report quoted Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC’s Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT, as allegedly confirming receipt of a land allocation.

The PDP questioned the rationale behind such allocations, noting that officials in other critical sectors—such as healthcare, education, and security—have not been given similar benefits despite their importance to national development.

“It is curious that these land gifts are given to officials in agencies critical to elections, while professionals like teachers, health workers, and security personnel receive no such consideration,” the statement said.

The opposition party has now urged the INEC leadership to address the allegations directly, insisting that silence could further damage the commission’s already fragile credibility.

“We demand that the INEC chairman comes clean on these allegations, including claims that he may also be a beneficiary,” the PDP stated. “At a time like this, such reports deepen public distrust in an institution expected to be impartial.”

The party stressed that transparency must remain central to INEC’s operations, warning that any perception of bias or compromise could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

INEC has yet to issue an official response to the allegations as of press time.ARTICLE
Fresh controversy is brewing around Nigeria’s electoral body as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain allegations involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said reports claiming that Wike offered land and cash gifts to senior INEC officials were troubling and risked eroding public confidence in the commission.

“Last week, the media was awash with reports that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, offered land and cash gifts to senior officials of the commission,” the party said. It added that a subsequent report quoted Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC’s Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT, as allegedly confirming receipt of a land allocation.

The PDP questioned the rationale behind such allocations, noting that officials in other critical sectors—such as healthcare, education, and security—have not been given similar benefits despite their importance to national development.

“It is curious that these land gifts are given to officials in agencies critical to elections, while professionals like teachers, health workers, and security personnel receive no such consideration,” the statement said.

The opposition party has now urged the INEC leadership to address the allegations directly, insisting that silence could further damage the commission’s already fragile credibility.

“We demand that the INEC chairman comes clean on these allegations, including claims that he may also be a beneficiary,” the PDP stated. “At a time like this, such reports deepen public distrust in an institution expected to be impartial.”

The party stressed that transparency must remain central to INEC’s operations, warning that any perception of bias or compromise could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

INEC has yet to issue an official response to the allegations as of press time.