The civic group, Social Crusade for a Sane Society, has leveled serious allegations against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that the party exploited the ongoing economic hardship in Nigeria to manipulate the results of the recent Ondo State governorship election. The election concluded with incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa declared the winner, having secured 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes. The APC achieved a sweeping victory, winning all 18 local government areas in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, Icon-James Tam, Convener of the Social Crusade for a Sane Society, described the election process as unfair and criticized the APC for allegedly engaging in widespread vote-buying. The group asserted that the dire economic conditions faced by many Ondo residents left them vulnerable to such practices. According to the statement, APC agents reportedly offered voters sums of ₦10,000 per vote, which many could not refuse due to their financial struggles.
The statement further highlighted that the scale of vote-buying during this election was unprecedented in Ondo State’s history, with reports of individuals using multiple voter cards to collect payments for their votes. The group condemned the APC’s actions as a calculated strategy to sway the election results, taking advantage of the impoverished state of the populace, which they attributed to the party’s own policies.
Additionally, the statement addressed the challenges facing Ondo State, urging Governor Aiyedatiwa to take immediate action to resolve issues in critical sectors such as education and healthcare. The group pointed out the lack of evidence supporting the governor’s claims of hiring 2,000 teachers and called for accountability and genuine leadership to improve the state’s conditions.
The Social Crusade for a Sane Society urged the re-elected governor to utilize the state’s resources effectively to deliver good governance and uplift Ondo State from its current challenges.
