Accusations of rampant bribery mar Ekiti state's gubernatorial contest

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Allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation and other electoral malpractices trailed Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, despite reports by election observers that the exercise was generally peaceful across the state.

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The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide, alleged that vote-buying took place at his polling unit after casting his ballot at Oke Adura Polling Unit in Ekiti South West Local Government Area.

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Bejide accused members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of distributing money to voters during the exercise.

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Similar concerns were raised by some residents who monitored the election process. One voter, Juliet Uzoma, alleged that party agents openly attempted to influence voters at polling units.

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“The BVAS machine is not working. I met a party agent telling voters whom to vote. Election is supposed to be credible, free and fair. Let all the party agents stay aside and watch the voters cast their votes, not telling them whom to vote during election,” she said.

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She further alleged incidents of intimidation and suspected vote-buying in some polling centres.

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“I suspect vote buying because the body language in some polling units that we’ve gone to suggests that voters are being intimidated,” she added.

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Allegations of inducement also surfaced on social media, with some voters claiming they received money or other forms of incentives in exchange for support during the election.

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The Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Ekiti State, Makinde Folorunso, rejected the outcome of the election, citing what he described as widespread electoral irregularities.

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In a statement issued after the poll, Folorunso alleged that the election was compromised by vote-buying and intimidation of opposition supporters.

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“As the chairman of the African Action Congress in Ekiti State, I am compelled to address the events surrounding Saturday’s election. It is with a heavy heart that I announce our decision to contest the legitimacy of this election due to widespread malpractices that have rendered it a mere facade of democracy,” he said.

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Folorunso accused the state government of undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

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“Reports of vote-buying have emerged from every polling unit across Ekiti State, with citizens being offered money in exchange for their votes. This is not just an affront to the democratic process; it is an insult to the intelligence of the electorate,” he added.

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Meanwhile, civil society organisations that observed the election acknowledged the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the exercise but expressed concerns over incidents of electoral offences.

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The Co-Convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and Head of Programmes and Policy at Connected Development (CODE), Celestine Okwudili Odo, said observers recorded what appeared to be a shift in the methods used to influence voters.

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“In terms of vote buying, there’s a paradigm shift. They moved away from physical cash but used different goods. Even handbags and rubber bands. After you vote, you are given items you can wear,” he said.

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The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub and Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), which deployed hundreds of observers across the state’s 16 local government areas, also reported cases of vote-buying and voter intimidation.

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In a joint statement, the groups said they recorded 24 incidents of electoral offences across nine local government areas, identifying vote-buying and voter intimidation as major concerns despite the generally peaceful conduct of the election.

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The observers, however, commended the early deployment of election materials and personnel, as well as the orderly conduct witnessed in many polling units across the state.

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