Ondo Guber: SDP candidate, Akingboye, accuses parties of vote buying

Bamidele Akingboye, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, has accused political parties of flooding the state with money to influence the election.

The state goes to the polls on Saturday to elect a governor, with the incumbent, Lucky Ayedatiwa, and his closest challenger, Agboola Ajayi, being the favorites.

“We see a lot of money they are discharging,” Akingboye told journalists in Akure on Thursday afternoon. “If they (security agencies) want to do their job, they should go and bust all the hotels in Ijakun tonight. They will see a lot of money there.”

He, however, did not mention the parties responsible.

Akingboye insisted he is abiding by the rules set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Vote-buying has dogged local and national elections in Nigeria in recent years.

YIAGA Africa said on Thursday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are guilty of inducing votes with money in the run-up to the election.

“Yiaga Africa’s Long-Term Observers (LTOs) noted instances of voter inducement during campaign activities by both the APC and PDP,” the group said in a statement.

“Yiaga Africa is concerned that this practice may extend to election day, turning polling units into epicenters of vote-buying. Voter inducement compromises the election’s fairness and perpetuates a cycle of dependency and corruption.”

Akingboye said he has no plans to induce voters, noting that he should be voted for based on his capabilities and his manifesto.

The SDP candidate, looking to be a dark horse in the race, promised to revamp the state’s economy and empower the youth.

“I’m the only candidate that Ondo State requires for now,” he said. “My 24 years of service, trying to become the governor in Ondo State, is not for a joke.”