The Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council has condemned what it described as a desperate, and illegal resort to direct vote-buying by Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration ahead of the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Oluremi Omowaiye, the head of Media and Publicity of the APC campaign council said the government has been paying a sum of N20,000 to workers and residents in what it called direct vote-buying attempts.
InsightMedia recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has on Wednesday frozen the account of the state government over massive movement of funds.
“It is deeply disheartening that the Osun State Government has officially commenced a widespread vote-buying scheme. The administration is systematically requesting citizens to submit their bank account details to receive a political inducement of N20,000,” Omowaiye said in his reaction on Wednesday.
He said the governmentis also paying NYSC Corps members N20,000 instead of the N5,000 it has been paying before.
“These are the same Osun workers the state government have refused to remit their contributory pension and cooperative deductions in the last two years. Osun NYSC Corps member that are paid N5,000 monthly suddenly got alert of N20,000 each ten(10) days to election
“In 2025, the Adeleke government proposed in the budget to spend N6 billion to offset gratuity arrears. But at the end of it all, it paid nothing to the pensioners. The shylock government, having seen the handwriting of defeat on the wall, is now jumping up and down to bribe and placate angry civil servants and voters.
“Governor Adeleke is also rewriting history of electoral fraud by developing courage to be using government fund to buy votes. This is criminal.
“Most shocking is the fact that these partisan, compromising payments are being routed directly through official state government accounts.
“The APC Campaign Council makes it categorically clear to Governor Adeleke that the conscience of Osun workers and citizens cannot be bought. If the Adeleke administration had performed creditably well over the last 3 years and 8 months, there would be absolutely no need for this last-minute, panicky distribution of state resources.
“This sudden Greek gift is a clear admission of failure. However, there is no way out for this sinking government; the hour is late, and the people have already made up their minds to vote them out.
We urge the good people of Osun State to remain highly vigilant and wary of these deceptive antics. It is particularly repulsive that the Adeleke government is forcing vulnerable citizens to swear to oaths of political allegiance before these N20,000 handouts are disbursed.
It is an insult to the sensibilities of our people that this administration is weaponizing poverty after leaving critical sectors in complete ruins.
While commending the EFCC, the opposition party called on all anti-graft agencies and the the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately step in and rescue the state.
“Vote-buying remains a severe electoral offence under Nigerian law. Consequently, the APC Governorship Campaign6th Council urgently calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately step in.
“We demand a thorough investigation into the state government’s accounts, a strict caution to the administration, and that every individual found wanting in this illegal treasury-looting scheme be brought to book.”