Osun APC Campaign Dismisses Vote-Buying Allegations By Governor Adeleke’s Family, Vows To Pursue Legal Options | Sahara Reporters

The council accused the Adeleke family of attempting to divert attention from alleged electoral manipulation during the August 15 governorship election.

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed allegations of vote-buying made against the party by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s elder brother, Dr Deji Adeleke, and his son, music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

The APC Governorship Campaign Council, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity Committee, Engr Oluremi Omowaiye, on Wednesday, described the allegations as fabricated.

The council accused the Adeleke family of attempting to divert attention from alleged electoral manipulation during the August 15 governorship election.

The party said the alleged contradictions in the figures cited by the two members of the Adeleke family had exposed the claims as false.

According to the APC, while Deji Adeleke allegedly claimed that the party spent N70billion on vote-buying, Davido reportedly put the figure at N120billion less than 24 hours later.

“These laughable contradictions expose the complete falsehood of their claims,” the party said, describing the allegations as an attempt to malign the APC and conceal alleged electoral irregularities.

The party also accused Governor Adeleke’s administration of using state resources to influence voters, alleging that politically motivated stipends were paid to members of the National Youth Service Corps and civil servants.

The APC further alleged that some voters were subjected to traditional oath-taking ceremonies before receiving financial inducements, claiming that beneficiaries were made to swear that they would vote for Adeleke.

The party also alleged that its agents were threatened during the election in Ede, where it claimed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Adeleke won by about 45,000 votes.

According to the APC, some of its agents were allegedly threatened with guns, charms and other weapons in the presence of security personnel to prevent them from challenging alleged manipulation of results.

The party further alleged that unused ballot papers were thumb-printed and stuffed in an attempt to manipulate the outcome of the election.

The APC claimed that the events surrounding Adeleke’s victory had shown that many residents preferred its candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

It also accused supporters of the Adeleke administration of unleashing violence on opposition supporters following the election, alleging that some residents were afraid of reprisals.

The party, however, maintained that it conducted an issue-based campaign and remained committed to democratic and legal processes.

“Our party will legally and constitutionally defend the mandate freely given to us by the Osun people, which the anti-democratic elements falsified,” the statement said.

The APC said it was confident that alleged electoral manipulation during the election would eventually be exposed, adding that it would not be deterred by what it described as propaganda by the Adeleke family.