Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has denied allegations of vote buying in the ongoing governorship election in the state.
The National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Yinka Folarin, had alleged that the group observed cases of vote buying across the state.
NewsNGR also reported that two voters at the governor’s polling unit, Polling Unit 003, located opposite his family compound in Okelele, Ikogosi, Ekiti West Local Government Area, admitted receiving N5,000 each before voting.
The voters said they received the money from associates of the governor.
When asked by NewsNGR about the allegations after casting his vote at about 11:34am, Oyebanji said he was not aware of any such development.
“Well, I have not heard about that,” the governor said.
He appealed to residents to remain patient with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying there could be challenges during the voting process.
“I want to appeal to our people to be patient with INEC. With all processes there will be glitches. INEC has assured me and I believe them that all those glitches would be attended to,” he said.
“I just appealed to our people to exercise patience. They have told me nobody would be disenfranchised, that everybody that has come out would vote.
“But our people must also cooperate with INEC and encourage them and be patient.”
Oyebanji said his administration would continue implementing its 30-year development plan.
“We have the 30-year development plan that we are implementing, so we go on with the implementation of that plan,” he said.
Reacting to allegations of attacks on opposition members and attempts to prevent them from voting, the governor said such claims remained allegations until proven.
“He who alleges must prove, so it’s still in the realm of allegation,” he said.
On his earlier projection that he would secure at least 500,000 votes, Oyebanji said “If the processes work well and everybody votes, we should cross that line with what I’m seeing here today.”
On Vote buying, he claimed, “Well, I have not heard about that.”
