Osun Election: APC petitions EFCC, ICPC over alleged vote buying with state funds

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By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

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The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged use of state resources for vote buying ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

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The APC campaign council, in a statement by its Media Committee Chairman, Remi Omowaye, on Wednesday, accused the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke of using public funds to influence voters.

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Omowaye alleged that the state government had commenced a “widespread vote-buying scheme” by requesting residents to submit their bank account details to receive a N20,000 payment.

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He claimed that the funds were being paid directly into the accounts of workers and residents, alleging that the move was aimed at gaining political advantage ahead of the election.

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“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,” he said.

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The APC spokesman further alleged that the payments were coming at a time when some workers’ deductions and pension contributions remained outstanding, describing the action as “criminal”.

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He urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and resist what he described as attempts to influence their electoral choices.

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Reacting, Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said the payments were part of the state government’s palliative measures aimed at supporting civil servants.

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Rasheed explained that the administration had been providing periodic palliatives to workers even before the implementation of the new minimum wage, describing the initiative as a commitment to improving workers’ welfare.

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“As part of our commitment to civil servants of Osun State, the backbone of our administration, we have once again disbursed palliatives to augment their salaries.

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“Notably, we commenced periodic palliative payments even before implementing the new minimum wage increase, which positioned Osun as one of the first states in the federation to do so,” he said.

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The governor’s aide accused the previous administration of neglecting workers’ welfare, adding that the current government remained committed to restoring public sector morale and improving service delivery.

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He said the palliative programme was designed to support workers and strengthen government service delivery across the state.

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