Widespread vote buying trails Ondo guber poll

Widespread vote buying was allegedly trailed Ondo State Governorship Election on Saturday as the main contenders and their parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were fingered in vote buying.

BusinessDay gathered that the two main political parties bought votes across the three Senatorial Districts, namely, North, South and Central Senatorial Distcricts with inducement, ranging from N5,000 to N10,000.

In Akure, the Ondo State Capital, both political parties allegedly engaged in vote trading at the Ward 02, Polling Unit 3, Eruoba, and Polling Unit 17, Egbedi Ward 11, Owode Imuagun, Akure, located in Arakale market.

But, at Eruoba Electoral Ward, voters were paid undisclosed amount of money for casting their votes by a man, believed to be APC man, designated for the assignment.

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At Owode Imuagun, voters were writing down their names after voting as they were thereafter directed to a neaby building where they were paid undisclosed amount of money.

At at Ward 4, Polling Unit 007 at St Stephen Primary, Akure there was obvious sharing of money, ranging between N5,000 to N10,000 by both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when BusinessDay visited the Polling booth.

At Igboroko 2, Ward 3, Polling Unit in Owo where Olayide Adelami the All Progressives Congress’ Deputy Governorship Candidate, cast his votes, APC was reportedly sharing money to induce electorate to vote for them.

BusinessDay observed that vote trading was being done in the presence of Police Operatives and other Security Agencies.

An unconfirmed report indicated that an APC was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with two bags of money believed to be an inducement for voters during the election.

In Oke-Agbo, Akoko North-West, the vote buying was very conspicuous as thow main political parties increased the money shared for the electorate to vote for them.

The ruling APC shared N20, 000 each for the electorate, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gave N15,000 each to each voter. All this was done in the presence of Police Operatives, EFCC officers, and other Security Agencies.