Nasarawa APC Candidate’s Wife Sparks Debate After Cash Distribution Video Emerges

A video showing Hajiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, distributing cash to supporters has sparked debate online.

In the footage circulating on social media, Maryam is seen handing cash to women gathered at an event as part of an ongoing grassroots empowerment initiative associated with her.

The development comes as political activity begins to intensify in Nasarawa ahead of the 2027 governorship election, where her husband will represent the APC.

Recent reports indicate that the Hajiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu Women Empowerment Scheme 2026 is targeting 6,500 women across the state’s 13 local government areas.

Under the programme, 500 women from each local government area are expected to receive ₦50,000 each, bringing the reported total value of the initiative to ₦325 million. (Apex News Exclusive⁠)

Maryam has described the money as financial support intended to help women establish or expand small businesses. Beneficiaries have reportedly been encouraged to invest the funds in activities including petty trading, cake baking and groundnut processing.

However, the appearance of the cash distribution in a politically charged environment has prompted questions from some social media users about the timing and purpose of the intervention.

The debate has largely centred on whether such cash distributions should be viewed simply as an empowerment initiative or whether political figures and their associates should exercise greater caution when distributing money to potential voters ahead of an election.

The controversy is particularly notable because Maryam has also reportedly used the empowerment programme to call on people in Nasarawa State to support her husband’s 2027 governorship ambition.

What people are saying

Online reactions have been mixed.

Supporters of the initiative have praised Maryam for putting money directly into the hands of women, arguing that the beneficiaries can use the funds to start or strengthen small businesses.

Others, however, have questioned whether the distribution could create the perception of political inducement, particularly given the proximity to the 2027 election and the explicit political support being sought for Senator Wadada.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of long-standing concerns over money politics in Nigerian elections.

INEC has repeatedly warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against vote-buying and financial inducement. In February 2026, INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan described vote-buying as a violation of the law and urged political actors to refrain from the practice.

INEC’s voter education materials also state that inducing or bribing a voter to vote for a candidate is prohibited under Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022.

There is, however, an important distinction between an empowerment programme and vote-buying. The existence of a cash grant alone does not establish that an electoral offence has occurred. What matters legally would include the circumstances surrounding the payment and whether the money was offered or received as an inducement to vote for a particular candidate.

For now, the video has added another layer to the growing political conversation around Senator Wadada’s 2027 campaign and the role of grassroots financial empowerment in Nigerian politics.

Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate for Nasarawa State in May 2026, positioning him as the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 governorship contest.

As political activities gather momentum, the cash distribution is likely to remain a talking point, particularly over whether such programmes should be regarded as genuine economic empowerment or scrutinised more closely because of their political context.