Some PDP and APC members who wished to remain anonymous told PUNCH that they have decided to pay between N2,000 and N10,000 per vote in order to outbid one another during the election.
In friendly and neutral areas, the PDP planned to give away N2,000 to any interested voters, but in hostile and intensely competitive areas, each voter would receive N5,000.
Anonymous PDP chieftain and mobiliser in an interview said the party had no choice but to make provisions since the APC is in power and they might want to induce voters.
“The party had no choice but to make such provisions so it wouldn’t be outplayed by the APC. You know the APC is in power at the centre and in the state and the party has more governors than the PDP, so they naturally would have more funds from donations. So, we can’t go to bed as if they won’t induce voters.”
Another said: “We have mobilised since early in the week so the security agencies, who may be loyal to the APC, don’t humiliate us.”
Similarly, a chieftain of APC said the party may spend up to N10,000 per vote and has planned about N2 million per polling unit stating that it would be an embarrassment for them to lose the gubernatorial election.
“Osun is a state we cannot lose, so we have to do what is necessary. It will be an embarrassment if we lose the election. APC is Osun and Osun is APC. So, we have made provision for voters to be rewarded for voting for us.”
Apart from the two major parties, the Accord Party and Labour Party, both of which are top contenders, are also said to be planning to ‘reward’ voters, though with a lesser amount.
Accreditation of voters began early in most polling units for Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The accreditation process commenced at about 8:00 am in some of the wards visited across the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has cast his vote at the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
The former lawmaker cast his vote at Unit 009, Ward 02, Abogunde/Sagba, Ede North in Osun state.
When asked about the election process and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparedness for the poll, he said the process was “fantastic”.
He said with the feelers he was getting across the state, calmness was the order of the day and he expects the situation to remain the same till the end of the electoral process.
On rumoured vote-buying by political opponents, he said the process was just starting and he hopes they would remain rumours.
“We want this election to be a point of contact for 2023. The whole world is watching us and this is going to be a test for us all. So, let Osun people decide who they want,” he said.
Ada Peter
