Osun Election: Popular governors don’t buy votes, SDP candidate tells Adeleke

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

OSOGBO — The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the August 15 election in Osun State, Mr Salawu Mustapha, has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party of involvement in alleged vote-buying ahead of the poll.

Mustapha, in a statement he personally signed and made available to Vanguard Online, alleged that agents of the Accord Party working for the governor were offering voters N10,000 under oath in exchange for their votes.

He condemned the alleged practice, saying popular candidates do not need to resort to vote-buying to win elections.

The SDP candidate also raised concerns over what he described as sudden and unbudgeted financial disbursements by the state government days before the election.

He specifically referred to the payment of N20,000 to civil servants, as well as an increase in the payment credited to National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members serving in the state.

According to him, corps members who previously received a monthly state allowance of N5,000 were also credited with N20,000.

Mustapha alleged that the payments were not originally provided for in the state budget and described them as an attempt to influence voters ahead of the election.

“We must all condemn and criticise these actions. All these payments were not originally budgeted. A popular governor will not go so low to use government accounts to buy votes under the pretence of giving palliatives,” he said.

He questioned the timing of the payments, particularly the alleged increase in financial support to corps members.

“The critical question we must ask is why these monies are being paid just a few days before the election, if not for outright vote-buying?” he asked.

Mustapha also criticised the Adeleke administration over what he described as poor economic performance despite federal allocations accruing to the state.

He further alleged that the recent unfreezing of the state government’s account by President Bola Tinubu would only provide temporary relief, claiming that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would revisit what he described as alleged mismanagement of state funds.

The SDP candidate, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegations.

He urged Osun voters to reject what he described as attempts to influence their votes with cash.

“I urge the electorate to protect their dignity and future. What lasting impact will a mere N10,000 have on your long-term well-being?” he asked.

Mustapha called on voters not to re-elect the incumbent administration, promising that the SDP would provide what he described as transparent and accountable governance if elected on August 15.

“We assure the citizens of Osun State that the current economic hardship and governance deficit will come to an end once the SDP is voted into power to birth a transparent and accountable administration,” he said.

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