The build-up to Saturday’s Osun State governorship election has been overshadowed by allegations of widespread vote-buying, political violence and growing tension across several communities.
Findings across the state indicate that agents of the two leading parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party, have allegedly been offering voters between N10,000 and N20,000 in cash, alongside food items and other gifts, in an effort to influence their votes.
Some residents also alleged that party agents collected voters’ account details ahead of the election, with plans to transfer money after voting.
The election is being contested by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam and nine other candidates. A total of 1,906,390 registered voters who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards are expected to participate.
In Ilesa, residents alleged that APC agents were offering N20,000 per voter across parts of Ilesa East, Ilesa West and Atakunmosa East Local Government Areas. Accord was reportedly offering N10,000 in some areas.
Similar allegations were reported in Osogbo, where APC agents allegedly distributed N15,000 to selected voters across the 15 wards. In Iwo, reports indicated that about N700,000 was allocated per polling unit for distribution, with individual voters receiving about N15,000.
In Aiyedire, Accord was reportedly offering N10,000, while residents in Ila alleged that both parties were distributing between N15,000 and N20,000. In Ile-Ife, APC was reportedly offering N15,000, while Accord offered N10,000.
Reports from Ikire also suggested that voters were being offered between N10,000 and N15,000, while in Ede, the home town of Governor Adeleke, Accord allegedly began distributing N10,000 to voters weeks before the election. APC reportedly responded by offering N15,000.
There were also allegations that some beneficiaries were made to swear oaths promising to vote for the party or candidate that provided the money or gifts. Videos circulating online purportedly showed supporters distributing cash, rice, salt and other items while urging beneficiaries to remain loyal at the polls.
The police have warned politicians and voters against vote-buying, describing it as an electoral offence. The Force Public Relations Officer, Okokon Iniedu, said anyone caught engaging in the practice would be arrested and prosecuted.
Meanwhile, the election has also been preceded by reports of deadly violence in parts of the state. At least eight people were reportedly killed between Monday and Friday in Ilesa and Esa-Oke, although some of the incidents were attributed by police to cult-related clashes.
Security has subsequently been intensified, with soldiers and armoured personnel carriers reportedly deployed to several flashpoints and boundary communities, including Ora, Esa-Oke, Ilesa, Ikoyi and areas along the Osun-Ondo and Osun-Oyo borders.
The APC and Accord camps have also traded accusations over alleged plans to unleash political thugs.
The APC campaign council accused Governor Adeleke of harbouring suspected political thugs at the Government House in Osogbo and alleged that some of them had been brought in from outside the state to cause disruption.
The Accord Party, in response, alleged that its members and supporters had been subjected to attacks across several local government areas, claiming that homes had been vandalised, residents injured and some communities subjected to gun attacks.
Amid the escalating allegations, YIAGA Africa expressed concern that the credibility of the election could be undermined by vote-buying and violence.
Its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, described the level of voter inducement and political violence as alarming, warning that the monetisation of politics and what he called the “weaponisation of poverty” could weaken the integrity of the electoral process.
He also said the organisation had linked 34 deaths to the build-up to the election, describing Osun as tense and highly competitive ahead of the poll.