FG Buying Votes With ‘Trader Moni’ In Osun – Ezekwesili

A former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has alleged that the federal government was “deliberately corrupting the elections process in the country,” fingering the newly launched ‘Trader Moni.’

Ezekwesili, co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Movement, specifically said that the scheduled governorship election in Osun State expected to take place in on September 22, has been seriously compromised and corrupted with the “Trader Moni venture” launched by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the state.

At the launching of the venture on September 3, 2018, Vice President Osinbajo said the programme is targeted at 30,000 traders in Osun.

The Federal Government has budgeted N300 million for the empowerment of traders in Osun in form of soft loan that is expected to be repaid within six months,

Traders are to first access an interest free loan of N10,000 loan after providing evidence of having registered for the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Ezekwesili criticized the timing of the launch in Osun, stressing that such an approach of grand corrupting of voters in Ekiti is reprehensible and unacceptable.

The continuation of the programme and further granting of the loan would depend on the quick repayment by the beneficiaries which would qualify them for higher amounts.