Politicians are trying to outspend one another in the ongoing governorship election in Ekiti as voters and security operatives are being induced.
Our observers have witnessed different instances of vote buying and inducement of security operatives and some INEC officials across the state.
The election started on a peaceful note across many polling units and voters trooped out en masse.
However, no sooner than accreditation commence did politicians start reaching out to voters through party agents.
At Polling Unit 002, St Mary Catholic Nur/Pry School, Oye Local Government Area, people commented openly on how political parties were doling out cash to voters.
The three leading parties in the election are said to be involved in the act.
While one is said to be giving out N10,000 to a voter, the remaining two are allegedly bribing voters with N5,000 each.
Some security operatives were caught on camera running after a politician who gave them money that they shared outside the polling units they were deployed to.
In one of the polling units at Ward 10 Afao/Kajola, Ikere LGA, security personnel, and INEC ad hoc staff threatened to stop work, claiming that the money given to them was small compared to what they got from other parties.
At Polling Unit 003, Ward 1, Asin in Ikole LGA, voters marched to a spot behind a GSM mast where money was shared by an agent of one of the three leading parties.
At a polling unit close to the palace of Ogoga Ikere Kingdom in Ikere LGA, a former Deputy Governor of Ekiti, was caught seen asking a man who carried a backpack filled with money to give some security operatives money.
The security personnel left their duty post at Oisa Alada Hall, Ward 2 Okeruke, PU 009, and ran after the politician.
They got some money, which they shared among themselves.
At unit 009, ward 002, Okeruku, Ikere LGA, women, men and elderly people were seen rushing in and out of a house behind Oisa Alada Hall. They went in with their PVCs and returned after apparently receiving payment for their votes.
Before going inside, a woman wearing black T-shirt collected their PVCs.
When asked, some of the beneficiaries said that they were given seven thousand naira each.
At unit 009, ward 2, Ikere LGA, a man who identified himself as the agent of one of the parties begged security operatives to accept N3,000 each, but they rejected it.
“That is the amount we have been giving other security men,” he pleaded.
After casting his ballot at ward 2 unit 6, Ifaki Ekiti, governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Engr. Segun Oni, said there were irregularities in the election.
“I was just informed that there is vote buying in Ado and Oye Ekiti. This is not allowed by the law of the land. I want the security agencies, especially the EFCC officials, to move to the areas and stop it,” he said. (Daily Trust)
