The Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration of engaging in direct vote-buying ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The campaign council alleged that the state government had commenced a widespread scheme through which residents and workers were being asked to submit their bank account details to receive ₦20,000.
The allegations were contained in a statement signed on Wednesday by Oluremi Omowaiye, Head of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council.
The council alleged that the state government had paid ₦20,000 each into the bank accounts of some workers and residents, describing the payments as political inducements.
It also claimed that some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in the state, who receive a monthly stipend of ₦5,000, had received ₦20,000 payments at intervals of 10 days ahead of the election.
The APC campaign council further alleged that the payments were coming at a time when the state government had failed to remit workers’ contributory pension and cooperative deductions for two years.
It also criticised the administration’s handling of pension arrears, alleging that although the 2025 budget provided ₦6 billion for settling gratuity arrears, no payment was eventually made to pensioners.
The council accused the Adeleke administration of resorting to what it described as last-minute distribution of public funds after becoming aware of its declining electoral fortunes.
It further alleged that the payments were being routed through official state government accounts, describing the development as a criminal use of public resources for electoral purposes.
The APC campaign council said the alleged payments could not influence voters, arguing that the administration would not have resorted to such measures if it had performed creditably during its tenure.
It also urged residents to remain vigilant, alleging that some vulnerable citizens were being required to swear oaths of political allegiance before receiving the ₦20,000 payments.
The council accused the state government of exploiting economic hardship for political purposes, while alleging that the education, healthcare, infrastructure and agricultural sectors had deteriorated under the administration.
It further claimed that the Adeleke administration had received about ₦1 trillion in federal allocations during its tenure without commensurate development.
The campaign council described vote-buying as a serious electoral offence and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the allegations.
It demanded a thorough examination of the state government’s accounts and called for anyone found culpable to be prosecuted.
The council maintained that the Osun State treasury belongs to the people and not to what it described as a desperate re-election campaign, insisting that public funds should not be deployed for political purposes.
NAN