Barely five months to the 2023 general elections, the Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that it has uncovered plans by the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to massively engage in vote buying and also perpetrate constitutional illegality.
This revelation was contained in a statement signed by the main opposition party’s Publicity Secretary, Hon. Olawale Sadare and made available to journalists on Thursday.
The Oyo APC claimed that going by the information at its disposal, Governor Makinde has concluded plans to identify 50 persons in each of the polling units in the state and induce them with N50,000 monthly allowance.
The statement also revealed that the governor will soon appoint Heads of Local Government Administration as Zonal Permanent Secretaries to coordinate the 50 voters per polling unit.
The party noted that appointment of Zonal Permanent Secretaries for 2023 election duties is unconstitutional as Governor Makinde will be laying a bad precedence that will plunge Oyo State into political crisis.
“Vote buying is an electoral crime in breach of Article 130 of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended and the 2018 revised Code of Conduct for political parties as stated in Section VIII.
“We’re cautioning Governor Makinde and the PDP to stop frittering away the state’s resources on vote-buying. Attempts to buy votes are indications of failures of the PDP-led administration in Oyo State.
“Oyo State electorate are urged not to be hoodwinked into a calamitous mistake in re-electing PDP in 2023 elections through financial inducements.
“PDP government’s innumerable abysmal failures is unpardonable and a fundamental reason electorate must repay the ruling party with total rejection at the next year polls.”
Oyo APC, while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rise to the occasion so that the peaceful, free, fair, credible and acceptable elections, which the state is known for, would be maintained. The party also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to put Makinde administration and his party on strict financial watch in order to checkmate their diabolical plans.”
