Ondo guber poll: Group warns against vote-selling

• Says action makes electorate become slaves to politicians
• Alleges politicians spend more on vote-buying than campaigns
• Tasks anti-graft agencies on prosecution of vote-buyers, sellers
• ‘Menace hindering good governance, compassionate leaders’
• Pro-APC groups abandon Aiyedatiwa, back SDP’s candidate, Akingboye
• Ebiseni vows to ensure free, qualitative education

The Justice Development and Peace Maker Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo, Osun State, has appealed to the electorate in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State not to trade their votes for financial gains, stressing that such a move will make them slaves to politicians.

Programme Manager of the Centre, Festus Ojewumi, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during an engagement with trackers trained to track campaign finances of political parties ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state, lamented that politicians no longer engage prospective voters on their plans if elected.

According to Ojewumi, who is also coordinating the EU-SDGN project that centres on promoting inclusive participatory and accountable democratic governance in Ekiti, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, indications have revealed that politicians do spend more on vote-buying than campaigns.

Ojewumi said that the strategy had also led to the delay of campaigns among political parties to save funds for vote-buying on the day of the election.

Ojewumi, while urging anti-graft agencies to be on top of their games in prosecuting those involved in the menace, said that the ugly trend had hindered good governance.

However, scores of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of Benson Akingboye.

The supporters in the groups, comprising Ondo Patriots led by Dele Oyewo, Ondo APC Solidarity Group and Jagaban Coalition and APC Youth League, alleged the flawed governorship primaries that produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as a reason for their action.

The groups urged the electorate to disregard the purported defection of some Social Democratic Party (SDP) members to both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.

They expressed confidence that as a governor, the qualities of Akingboye as an industrialist, friend of humanity, and his achievements as a businessman would impact positively the people of Ondo State.

The groups also said that with Akingboye at the helm of affairs in Ondo State, he would revitalise Oluwa Glass in Okitipupa, the Olosunta Oil Palm/industry, among others, that are already moribund due to incompetence and corrupt practices.

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Sola Ebiseni, has assured the electorate that he would ensure free and qualitative education for students if elected as governor.

Ebiseni, who stated this, at the weekend, while flagging off his campaign in Akure, the state capital, said that he would initiate programmes that would benefit the residents of the state.

He also promised to prioritise security, emphasising that the state has a comparative advantage in the abundance of coastal and forest resources, including minerals dotting the state’s land scale.