Allegations of vote buying have emerged at the polling unit of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji as residents cast their ballots in Saturday’s governorship election.
NEWSNGR observed claims of vote buying at Polling Unit 003, located opposite the governor’s family compound in Okelele, Ikogosi, Ekiti West Local Government Area.
One of the voters, Oladimeji Nafiu Abiodun, told NEWSNGR that he received N5,000 to participate in the election.
When asked who gave him the money, Abiodun claimed the payment was organised through the governor’s associates.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and there is no evidence directly linking the governor to the claim.
The development comes amid scrutiny of activities at the polling unit. Earlier, NEWSNGR reported that only the polling agent of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was present to monitor the electoral process.
The agent, identified as Ogundele Oluwatosin, was seen interacting with voters as accreditation and voting continued.
Security personnel deployed to the polling unit, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said they did not witness any vote buying.
They said the responsibility for monitoring electoral offences rests with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which conducts elections and supervises voter accreditation.
INEC officials at the polling unit declined requests for comments on the allegations.
Saturday’s governorship election is being contested by Oyebanji of the APC, who is seeking a second term, alongside Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labour Party (LP), Ambassador Oluwadare Patrick Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and candidates of other registered political parties, including the Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party, Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP).
