Agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Accord Party distributed cash payments ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 to voters across several local government areas in Osun State in the days leading up to Saturday's governorship election, according to reports gathered from multiple constituencies.
The vote-buying reportedly began as early as Monday, August 10, six days before the poll, making it one of the earliest such exercises recorded ahead of an election in the state, as reported by Punch. In some areas, party agents collected voters' bank account numbers a week before election day, intending to credit them after ballots were cast.
Cash Distribution Spread Across Multiple LGAs
In Ilesa, the APC was reportedly paying N20,000 per voter in Ilesa East, Ilesa West and Atakunmosa East LGAs, with distributions taking place at the homes of designated party chieftains. A beneficiary in the Bonnke area said more than 200 voters received cash on Wednesday alone. "The cash was in N1,000 and N500 denominations," the beneficiary said.
Accord, meanwhile, was reported to be offering N10,000 in the same areas. In some instances, beneficiaries were made to swear oaths by the Ogun deity before collecting their payments.
In Osogbo, APC ward leaders said 150 voters per polling unit were targeted, with N15,000 paid to 75 voters on Wednesday and another 75 on Thursday. In Iwo, a budget of N700,000 was reportedly set aside for each of the 170 polling units across 15 wards, with N15,000 paid per voter. An APC chieftain familiar with the exercise confirmed the arrangement, adding that Accord was also distributing money in parallel.
Escalation in Ila and Ile-Ife
In Ila, residents said Accord initially offered N10,000 before raising it to N20,000 midweek, while the APC offered N15,000. Isaac Ibirogba, a resident, confirmed the escalation. A medical doctor in Ile-Ife similarly confirmed that both parties began cash distributions from Tuesday, with APC offering N15,000 and Accord paying N10,000.
When asked to respond, one APC chieftain in Ilesa West insisted the payments were meant to cover voters' transport costs to polling units, not to influence their choices.
Eight Killed, Soldiers Deployed
At least eight people were killed in Ilesa and Esa-Oke between Monday night and early Friday morning. The victims included three men killed near the Imo area of Ilesa on Monday and two others killed in Boluwaduro on Wednesday. Dele Ayegbo, a nephew of the APC Governorship Campaign Director-General, Wole Oke, was also killed in Esa-Oke on Wednesday.
Osun State Police Command spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed one of the killings, linking it to a cult clash. Soldiers with Armoured Personnel Carriers were deployed to the Osun/Kwara boundary, Esa-Oke, Ilesa, Ikoyi and other flash points across the state.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Okokon Iniedu, warned on Friday that vote-buying was an electoral offence and that anyone caught would be arrested and prosecuted.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party faces Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress, and nine other candidates. A total of 1,906,390 registered voters who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards are eligible to participate in the election, which features 14 candidates on the ballot.
