Osun 2018: Despite INEC’s Directive, Vote Buying Dominate Polls

Despite threats to prosecute culprits, politicains from different politcal parties engaged in vote-buying in the Osun state governorship election, THE WHIISTLER has learnt.

In the run-up to the elections, the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had vowed to curb the trend of vote buying.

According to eye witnesses, there was high turn out in the election, as voters trooped to polling units to cast their votes, while party agents, observers and security agencies were on ground to monitor the process.

According to the Cable, party agents devised a method of inducing voters with money, though some did it openly, while others wrote down names of those who voted for their candidates in order to be given money after the election.

A party agent identified as Baba Bidemi was reportedly seen writing down the names of people who voted for his party to be offered money.

In another ward, a PDP agent was arrested for allegedly distributing money to voters.

One of the voters who identified himself as Mansur said some party agents made voters swear an oath with the Quran that they cast their votes for their party before being given money. He added that some had been paid on Friday, a day to the election.

At unit 1, Asunmk ward in Talafia area of Ede, an APC agent claimed to have some money with him to be distributed to those who voted for the party.

At Iwo local government area of the state, two suspected vote buyers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) were arrested by security operatives on duty and N604,000 was reportedly recovered from them.

At 2pm, INEC said about 1,246,915 residents of Osun State have voted in the governorship election that concluded in most polling units in the state today