Allegations of Widespread Vote-Buying and Violence Shadow Osun Governorship Election

Tensions have reached a boiling point across Osun State as voters head to the polls today. Reports indicate widespread voter inducement, escalating political violence, and heavy security deployments across multiple local government areas.

Major political parties notably the ruling Accord Party, featuring incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), fielded by candidate Bola Oyebamiji face serious allegations of engaging in systematic vote-buying schemes in the days leading up to the election.

Scope of Inducement: Agents representing key parties reportedly distributed cash payments ranging from ₦10,000 to ₦20,000 per voter, starting days before election day.

Security & Violence: At least eight fatalities were reported in the week leading up to the vote, prompting the deployment of military personnel and armored vehicles to boundary towns and volatile hotspots.

Civic Warning: Civil society organizations, including YIAGA Africa, have expressed deep concern that widespread monetization and intimidation could compromise the election’s credibility.

According to local accounts, cash distribution and gift offerings began as early as six days prior to the election across several key locations, including Ilesa, Osogbo, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ikire, and Ede. Unlike conventional election-day transactions, party operatives allegedly collected voter details and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in advance. In some areas, cash gifts and food items were accompanied by forced oaths of allegiance, while party representatives in other districts characterized the funds merely as “transportation allowances.”

In Ilesa, both the APC and Accord Party distributed between ₦10,000 and ₦20,000 at designated party leaders’ residences, requiring voters to verify their PVCs before receiving payment. Operatives in Osogbo targeted 150 voters per polling unit with ₦15,000 payouts over a two-day period. Meanwhile, political parties in Iwo budgeted up to ₦700,000 per polling unit for systematic cash distribution, and voters in Ila and Ede received between ₦10,000 and ₦20,000 alongside distributed food items.

Beyond financial inducement, the build-up to the election has been marred by physical clashes and political violence. Local reports confirm that at least eight people lost their lives in clashes across Ilesa, Esa-Oke, and neighboring areas in the week preceding the vote.

In light of the escalating unrest, the police issued strong warnings against electoral offenses, promising swift prosecution for anyone caught buying or selling votes. Meanwhile, military units equipped with Armoured Personnel Carriers have been deployed to key boundary communities including Ora, Esa-Oke, and Owens to secure critical corridors and prevent further breakdown of law and order.

As polling units open, the campaign councils for both major contenders have traded sharp accusations regarding state security and armed intimidation. Campaign representatives from the APC claimed that political thugs were being harbored within the State Government House in Osogbo, alleging plans to disrupt voting in key wards across Osogbo, Irepodun, and Egbedore. Conversely, leadership from the Accord Party countered by condemning statewide attacks on their members, claiming several supporters were injured, residences vandalized, and local communities targeted in overnight shootings.

Electoral watchdog YIAGA Africa raised severe concerns over the atmosphere surrounding the election. Executive Director Samson Itodo condemned the scale of voter inducement, describing it as the “weaponization of poverty” that directly undermines democratic governance, transparency, and institutional integrity. Observers warn that the combination of intense violence and financial manipulation threatens to cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the final outcome.