Youth Initiative for Growth and Advancement, a non-profit civic hub, YIAGA Africa, has disclosed that political parties have begun to systematically induce voters with cash and food items ahead of the November 16 governorship poll in Ondo State.

According to Yiaga, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have distributed fertilisers, rice, cassava, and maize to prospective voters to curry their favour during the election.

The civic hub, which alleged that community leaders were tasked with distributing the items in the axis identified as areas of influence, stated that its Long-Term Observers detected cases of voter inducement during campaign activities in Ese-Odo, Irele, Ondo East, Ifedore, Akure South, Ose, and Owo local councils.

In its Pre-election Assessment report presented by Safiya Bichi, Head of Knowledge, Management, and Learning at the signing of the Peace Accord in Akure, the state capital, Yiaga stated that voter turnout in the state has not exceeded 40% since 2011.

Yiaga stated that the Ondo North Senatorial District of the state has a long history of high voter turnout, even though Ondo Central has the highest concentration of registered voters since the conduct of the 2011 election.

According to the report, “With the exception of the 2011 presidential election, Ondo central senatorial district has the highest case of rejected votes in all elections preceding the 2020 election.

“As the election approaches, tensions between political parties are escalating, with different sides trading accusations and warnings.

“The situation underscores the need for vigilance and peaceful conduct for all stakeholders involved. Security agencies should take proactive measures to mitigate these risks.

“Ensuring the safety of voters, election officials, and all other participants is paramount to upholding the integrity of the electoral process. Preventive measures must be prioritised to avert violence and ensure a peaceful election.”