An elderly woman from Ondo State has disclosed that she was paid to vote in Saturday’s governorship election.
In a video by TVC, she claimed that she and her loved ones received payment in exchange for casting their votes on Saturday. Despite this admission, the woman described the electoral process as peaceful.
This development raises concerns about the integrity of the election, which saw incumbent governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) running against 16 other candidates, including Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Aiyedatiwa is leading the way in the election, having won in all 15 local government areas where results have been announced so far.
“We have voted; the voting process went on peacefully. There were no problems, there were no fights. We have voted and we have been paid; all of us,” the woman said.
However, others seated beside her quickly cautioned her against openly admitting to selling her vote.
“Don’t say that,” one of them said.
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) November 17, 2024
Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote had called on security and anti-graft agencies to ensure diligent prosecution of individuals caught in the act of vote buying and other electoral fraud or offences during the election.
Yiaga Africa WTV made the call in a Mid-day Situational Statement on the 2024 Ondo State Governorship Election which was signed by the Chair of the 2024 Ondo Election Mission and Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu and Cynthia Mbamalu respectively.
The report said the APC party agent stationed at Odulufe, Omoke, Odosika, Ogubgobe polling unit in the Ileooluji II ward of Ileoluji LGA was observed offering cash inducements of N20,000 to voters in exchange for their votes for the party.
Regarding vote-buying at polling units, the group regretted that in some places, security agencies were watching and did nothing, especially where it involved the ruling APC agents.
It stated, “The APC party agent stationed at the Odulufe, Omoke, Odosika, Ogubgobe polling unit in the Ileooluji II ward of Ileoluji LGA was observed offering cash inducements of N20,000 to voters in exchange for their vote for the party.
“Unfortunately, security agents did not intervene to stop this action. Voters at the Ogun/Saruku Area polling unit in Ilara II ward, Ifedore LGA, revealed how they marked their ballot papers to agents of the APC party in exchange for cash gifts.
“The security personnel present did not respond to this situation. PDP and APC agents were observed bribing voters with cash incentives ranging from N5000 to N10,000 at the Elegiri/Ediro Compound polling unit in Ilara I ward, Ifedore LGA.”
