ADC Candidate Alleges Vote-Buying in Ekiti Gubernatorial Election
Dare Abejide, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, condemned the conduct of the election, describing it as a “bad day for democracy.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Abejide alleged that the poll that secured a fresh four‑year mandate for Governor Biodun Oyebanji was marred by vote‑buying and intimidation.
He said, “First, the election was a very bad one. Yesterday was a very bad day for democracy in the state. It was a day when democracy took flight from Ekiti State.”
Abejide added that polling units, particularly his own booth, became a political marketplace where votes were canvassed, sold, and bought by politicians, while security agents abandoned their duties and sided with the oppressor.
He accused the ruling party of weaponising poverty to influence voters, stating, “The government of the day has weaponised poverty, and that makes it so easy for them to buy votes.”
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Oluwole Oluyede, who received 40,543 votes, while Abejide garnered 12,872 votes.
Abejide further claimed the exercise was manipulated, remarking, “It was like a battleground. I suspect it was simply fed into the computers.”
Asked about his next move, the ADC candidate said he would consult with party members, continue collecting results from all polling units, analyse the data, and then decide on any further action.
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