The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party have been accused of engaging in widespread vote-buying across Osun State ahead of the governorship election, with reports that voters were offered between N10,000 and N20,000.
According to reports, the alleged inducement began several days before the election, with some voters claiming that party agents collected their account details ahead of the poll, allegedly intending to transfer money after voting.
The election features Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam and other contestants. A total of 1,906,390 registered voters who collected their Permanent Voter Cards were expected to participate.
Reports from several parts of the state indicated varying amounts being offered by the two major parties. In Ilesa, APC agents were reportedly offering N20,000 per voter, while Accord was said to be distributing N10,000. Similar allegations were reported in Osogbo, Iwo, Aiyedire, Ila, Ile-Ife, Ikire and Ede, with amounts ranging from N10,000 to N20,000.
In some communities, the alleged inducement reportedly included food items such as rice and salt. There were also claims that some beneficiaries were asked to swear oaths promising to support particular candidates.
In Osogbo, APC was reportedly distributing N15,000 to selected voters across the 15 wards. In Iwo, an APC chieftain claimed that N700,000 had been allocated to each polling unit for distribution, with voters allegedly receiving N15,000 each.
In Ede, the hometown of Governor Adeleke, Accord was reportedly offering N10,000 per voter, while APC later increased its offer to N15,000. Similar allegations of cash distribution were reported in other local government areas.
The police, however, warned politicians and voters against vote-buying, describing it as an electoral offence punishable under the law. The Force Public Relations Officer, Okokon Iniedu, said anyone caught engaging in the practice would be arrested and prosecuted. He also assured voters, INEC officials and NYSC members of adequate security during the election.
The election build-up was also marred by reports of violence. At least eight people were reportedly killed between Monday night and Friday in parts of Ilesa and Esa-Oke, while soldiers were deployed to several identified flashpoints across the state.
Both the APC and Accord also traded accusations over alleged attacks and the mobilisation of political thugs. The APC accused the Adeleke administration of harbouring suspected political thugs at the Government House in Osogbo, while Accord alleged that its members and supporters had been attacked across several communities.
The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, expressed concern that the combination of vote-buying and political violence could undermine the credibility of the election. He described the situation as the “weaponisation of poverty” and warned that the monetisation of politics could negatively affect governance, transparency and accountability.
With reports of widespread voter inducement, violence and heightened political tension, concerns remain over the credibility and integrity of the Osun governorship election.
