Osun guber: APC, Accord trade accusations on vote buying ahead of August 15 poll

By Lateef Ibrahim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party in Osun State have traded allegations of vote buying and electoral misconduct less than three weeks before the August 15 governorship election, with both parties calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to investigate.
The APC alleged that the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke was planning to pay N20,000 each to civil servants, teachers, local government workers and other public employees to influence their votes during the election.
In a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC claimed the payments would begin reaching workers’ bank accounts from Monday, describing the move as an illegal attempt to secure electoral support.
The opposition party urged workers to reject what it described as a “Greek gift,” arguing that the state government had yet to settle outstanding obligations, including leave bonuses, pension deductions, cooperative deductions, health insurance remittances and trade union check-off dues.
The APC also alleged that agents of the Accord Party were seen in Osogbo distributing N10,000 to prospective voters after allegedly compelling them to swear an oath to support Governor Adeleke in the forthcoming election.
The party called on INEC, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations in line with the Electoral Act.
Reacting, the Accord Party dismissed the APC’s allegations as false and accused the opposition of engaging in similar electoral malpractice.
In a statement signed by its Osun State Chairman, Pastor Victor Babalola Akande, the party alleged that APC operatives had, over the past two months, been buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and collecting voters’ Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) across the state.
The Accord Party maintained that Governor Adeleke had no need to induce workers, insisting that his administration had earned their support through prompt payment of salaries and pensions, improved workers’ welfare, promotions and the settlement of outstanding employment benefits.
The party further alleged that individuals linked to the APC had been distributing cash and food items to vulnerable voters while collecting their PVC details and PINs, adding that the alleged incidents had already been reported to INEC and security agencies.
Despite their conflicting claims, both the APC and the Accord Party urged electoral authorities and security agencies to thoroughly investigate the allegations and ensure a credible, free and fair governorship election in Osun State.