Barely a few hours to the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, strong indications have emerged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the camp of its adopted candidate for the speakership of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have produced Mastercard for their supporters to ensure their victory.
This is a follow-up to the issuance of a green card to the new members-elect to track votes.
The inauguration ceremony which holds Tuesday, 11th June (Today), comes with the election of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House with their respective deputies.
Sources who spoke to this paper on Monday, said the mastercard had been given to over one hundred members across party lines.
Specifically, “the card is a promissory credit note to members who had penciled down the serial number of their ballot paper on the green card”, the source hinted.
Acting as a proof, it goes that any member whose serial had been confirmed to have voted for Gbajabiamila would receive instant financial alert to their individual bank accounts after the activation of the mastercard.
The source said, amount expected to be received as reward after a “job well done” is $20,000 each.
It was further learnt that with the number, every individual voter can be traced and identified either for reward or sanction by the party.
At the moment, the APC has a total of 119 new members elect, with the North West leading the table with 39 members, while the South West follows closely with 33.
Others are the North Central with 22, South South, 6 leaving the South East to bring up the rear with just one new member elect.
It will be recalled that most national dailies of Monday, June 10, 2019 were awash with signatures and endorsements for Gbajabiamila.
Some member-elect who spoken with our correspondents, have expressed shock and worry that their names were published in the newspapers without their consent.
One of the members who spoke in confidence said that a mere attendance at a meeting which was permitted by his party does not translate to automatic endorsement for a particular candidate.
The source, who described the development as an act of desperation, stated that it was both untidy, petty and unhealthy for many members-elect.
According to the source, the election of the leadership of both chambers is expected to throw up many surprises.
