Ondo Election: DSS Arrests Alleged Vote-Buyer With Bags of Money

The incident occurred around 9 a.m., as the Ondo election was in full swing.

Akure, Nigeria – A suspected vote-buyer was arrested on Saturday by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) at Ward 4, Polling Unit 007, located outside St. Stephen’s Primary School in Akure.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m., as the Ondo State governorship election was in full swing.

The individual was found in possession of two bags filled with money, allegedly intended for voter inducement. The arrest highlights ongoing concerns about vote-buying during elections in Nigeria. Reports suggest that the phenomenon was prevalent in several parts of the state, with political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accused of engaging in the malpractice.

In Irele Local Government Area, political agents were observed distributing signed papers as tokens to voters. At Polling Unit 007, Ajagba Ward 2, these papers served as “tickets” for voters to claim cash payments after casting their ballots. According to some voters, the exact amount to be paid remained uncertain.

Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, cast his vote early in the day. Arriving at Igbo Ward 4, Obenla community in Ilaje Local Government Area at 8:46 a.m., Aiyedatiwa completed the voting process within two minutes. The candidate is seeking re-election under the APC platform and was accompanied to the polling unit by his security aides.

The voting exercise, however, was marred by technical challenges. Some voters reported issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines. At Polling Unit 004, Apoi Ward 2 in Kiribo, Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Omotayo Akinlami, a voter, expressed frustration over the malfunctioning BVAS devices.

Akinlami suggested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should consider allowing manual accreditation to ensure smooth voting.