Saturday’s Ondo State governorship election was marred by widespread reports of vote buying and other electoral irregularities, despite assurances of a free and fair process. Civil society organizations Yiaga Africa and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) highlighted troubling incidents across the state, with both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused of engaging in brazen electoral malpractices.

Yiaga Africa, in its preliminary report, revealed that both major parties were involved in vote buying at multiple polling units, offering cash inducements ranging from N5,000 to as much as N20,000 per voter in exchange for votes. The group noted incidents in wards such as Odulufe, Omoke, and Ogubgobe in Ile-Oluji LGA, where APC agents were observed handing out N20,000 to voters. At other polling stations in Ifedore and Akure South LGAs, Yiaga Africa also documented agents from both APC and PDP distributing smaller amounts in exchange for votes, with no intervention from security personnel.

Similarly, the CDD reported that party agents were seen distributing money to voters in several wards, including Ifon and Iba Akoko, where APC agents provided N10,000 per voter and PDP agents offered N5,000. The report also revealed disturbing incidents where voters openly displayed their ballots to party agents, in a practice referred to as “see and buy,” to prove their vote was cast in favor of a particular candidate before receiving payment.

Security forces were notably absent or complicit in these activities. In some instances, such as at St. Barnabas Primary School in Ifon, CDD observers saw police officers arguing over money allegedly shared by party operatives, with complaints that some officers received more money than others. Despite these public violations, the security personnel present often failed to take action, with observers noting a general lack of professionalism.

Yiaga Africa condemned the widespread vote buying, calling it a “corrupt practice” that undermines the integrity of the electoral process and contributes to political inequality. The organization called on security agencies to take stronger action to deter such activities and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

In addition to vote buying, there were other disruptions. Voters at the Leo Hospital polling unit in Akure South LGA were forced to delay voting due to the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), leading to frustration and a brief disruption. Security agents were eventually called in to restore order.

Despite these challenges, the election day process was relatively peaceful overall, with many citizens turning out early to vote. Yiaga Africa and CDD both acknowledged the professionalism of election officials, particularly in terms of the timely arrival of materials and the widespread use of BVAS across the state. However, both organizations urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to address the serious issues of electoral fraud and ensure that election results are accurately and fairly collated.

The reports from Yiaga Africa and CDD underscore the ongoing challenge of electoral integrity in Nigeria, with vote buying continuing to plague elections at all levels.