Agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been captured on video allegedly distributing N3000 to voters in Ondo State to solicit votes for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
#Ondo2024: APC Party Members Caught Buying Votes In Okitipupa LGA pic.twitter.com/fT60OZChJa— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) November 16, 2024
The incident occurred at Ward 3, Units 11 and 12, in the Ilu Tuntun area of Okitipupa Local Government. The footage was provided to SaharaReporters by Kayode Babayomi, the Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Oyo State.
In the video, a voter can be heard confirming she received N3000 from one of the APC agents. However, when confronted by Babayomi, the agents denied the claim and quickly fled the scene.
This comes amid other reports of vote-buying across Ondo State, including an incident at Polling Unit 007 (PU007) in Ajagba Ward 2, Irele Local Government Area, where political party agents were seen distributing signed papers to voters. These papers were said to be “tickets” for receiving payment after the election, although the exact amount was unclear to the recipients.
DSS Arrests Suspected Vote-Buyer with Bags of Money in Akure
In another development, the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested a suspected vote-buyer in Akure, who was found with two bags of money intended for the illegal purchase of votes.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, the APC’s candidate, cast his vote early at Igbo Ward 4 in Obenla community, Ilaje Local Government Area, while his main rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), voted at Polling Unit 004 in Kiribo, Ese Odo Local Government Area.
Ajayi expressed dissatisfaction with the election process, describing it as “shameful.” He cited delays, alleged irregularities, and claimed that vote-buying was widespread. He also raised concerns about security forces’ proximity to polling stations, suggesting that they were intimidating voters.
Ajayi called for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, accusing the federal government of using security forces to manipulate the election process.
As the election continues, reports of vote-buying remain a major concern, with political parties accused of distributing money and signed papers to influence voters in several parts of the state.
