Bugaje accuses APC of using money to induce PDP members

In a recent televised interview on Arise TV, former presidential adviser and ex-member of the House of Representatives, Usman Bugaje, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of leveraging financial inducements to orchestrate the defection of key figures from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Bugaje expressed grave concern about what he termed the “monetisation of politics,” warning that it posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic integrity. According to him, the APC’s strategy involves using money to “buy off” members of the PDP, undermining the essence of political allegiance and governance in the country.

“For what I know—and I don’t claim to know everything—the APC is basically using money to buy off PDP,” Bugaje said during the Thursday interview.

He further revealed that individuals facing investigations, particularly by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), might be subject to threats in exchange for their defection. “Of course, if there are people with records in the EFCC, they might threaten them. They might do these kinds of things, and this has been the practice right from the time of President Obasanjo,” he added.

Bugaje’s comments reflect his deep concern over the growing influence of financial transactions in political alignment. He warned that if money continues to be the determining factor in political decisions, Nigeria could be headed toward a dangerous path. “For as long as money is going to be the determining factor, then that’s the end of democracy and that’s the end of politics,” Bugaje stressed. “We would be heading towards something completely different, maybe on the path of Peru and Fujimori.”

His comments come amid the ongoing wave of defections from the PDP, particularly in Delta State, which has seen several key members switch allegiance to the APC. Reacting to these defections, the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, insisted that the party was not anticipating the departures. Despite the losses, he emphasized that the next election would be a battle between Nigerians and the APC.

However, Bugaje was critical of the PDP’s response, which he described as weak. He argued that the party had lost its effectiveness as the principal opposition force in the country, pointing to internal issues and a lack of resolve. “There has not been opposition right from the time the Minister Wike did what he did. PDP has lost that opportunity to become an opposition party,” he stated.

The former lawmaker criticized the PDP for failing to hold the government accountable on critical national matters, including debates on emergency rule and budgetary sessions. He argued that the party’s inability to effectively challenge the ruling government had significantly weakened its stance as the opposition.

Bugaje also highlighted the structural flaws within Nigeria’s political parties, reflecting on his experiences during the merger that led to the formation of the APC. He lamented that efforts to introduce merit-based leadership criteria were sabotaged by party members driven by personal interests rather than institutional development. “We should develop a criteria for people who are going to hold responsibilities of the party. They all opposed it, except a few of us,” Bugaje recalled.

He warned that the increasing dominance of transactional relationships in Nigerian politics—where loyalty is bought with money or influence—has eroded the fundamental values of political engagement. “People who don’t have the character to hold a party, people who don’t have sufficient education to understand the implications of some of the things they do—these are the people now in charge,” he lamented.

In closing, Bugaje reaffirmed his long-standing opposition to these practices, emphasizing the importance of having qualified and committed individuals at the helm of political parties. “I fought this as much as I could. I pulled back when I realised that, but I made my point. If you have people who are qualified, who have character, who have got the passion for the party, you can be sure one thing: that party is going to remain intact,” he concluded.