The Deputy Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Lere Oyewumi, has revealed that he involved in vote buying and selling that characterised the 2023 general elections.
Oyewumi, who represents Osun West Senatorial District at the red chamber, in a viral video, said he gave out money to influence people to vote for him at a particular polling unit in his hometown of Ikire, Irewole local government area of Osun State.
The Senator stated this while welcoming Mr. Tunde Ayandosu, a former member of the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Irewole local government.
Ayandosu, who was the Chairman of APC in Ward 4, Irewole Local Government decamped to the PDP alongside his people in Ikire.
Oyewumi noted that he wooed Ayandosu due to his capacity as an opposition member, adding that all efforts to influence the electorate to vote for him at Ayandosu’s polling unit proved abortive.
He said, “I tried all the tricks I knew to win at Onilu’s house (Ile Onilu) polling unit but Ayandosu and his people didn’t allow me.
“After exhausting money for the election, I gave my personal money to Ten-Ten to give to people at night to influence them but on the eve of the election, Ten-Ten came back with my money, saying the people rejected it.
“That was why I reached out to Ayandosu because I cannot be a Senator and continue to fail there.
“I was the one who called Ayandosu from Abuja to join me in the PDP. I told him he has talent and that the party he was serving then (APC) would not allow him to grow.”
Meanwhile the State APC has called on Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to invite the lawmaker over murder of one of its members, Saheed Oyegunju during the elections.
In a statement on Friday, the State APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal explained that it would be necessary for the police to invite Senator Oyewumi with a view to getting to the root of the heinous crime. “though we are not saying it was the senator who was responsible for the killing but it is desirable for the police to invite him as the suspected killers are being fingered as his die-hard loyalists and political thugs”.
In the words of the state APC chairman: “It is disheartening that one year after the murder of Oyegunju, his killers are still moving freely in Ikire boasting that they are above the law of the land.
“The only way that justice can be procured for the deceased is for the Inspector-General of Police to urgently swing into action by investigating and arraigning those who might be remotely or directly linked with the gruesome murder of one of the illustrious members of our party who was the Ward 9 treasurer in Ikire until his murder.”
But Oyewumi’s media aide, Mr. Temilehin Popoola, said the Senator’s statement was quoted out of context, saying he was referring to the campaign period, and not on the election day.
Popoola said: “If you watch the video and listen carefully, you will know that the senator didn’t say he paid people to vote for him. He was just recalling his efforts during campaign period preceding the election.
“He said when he was looking for votes then, he reached out to these people and even sent money to them. We decided not to react to the APC and other’s comments on it. The senator didn’t pay people to buy votes.”
