Reports of widespread vote buying and electoral infractions have emerged during the Ondo State gubernatorial election held today. Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote, a prominent election monitoring organization, has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
According to eyewitness accounts, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party were observed offering voters N20,000 in Ileoluji, while security personnel allegedly turned a blind eye to these illegal activities. This incident is part of a larger pattern of vote buying reported across the state during the election.
Yiaga Africa has called on security and anti-graft agencies to ensure diligent prosecution of individuals caught engaging in electoral malpractices. The organization emphasized that vote buying is a growing trend that threatens to become a permanent feature of Nigeria's electoral landscape, undermining the principles of free and fair elections.
The reports of widespread vote buying and other electoral infractions have raised concerns about election corruption and political insecurity in the country. These allegations cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the election results and the democratic process in Ondo State.