Ekiti Poll: ADC candidate alleges vote buying, assault, intimidation as APC Chieftain denies claims

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for Ekiti State, Dare Bejide, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of engaging in vote‑buying and assaulting his driver during the Saturday governorship poll.

Bejide, who voted at Polling Unit 004, Ward 2, Oke Adura, Ilawe‑Ekiti, said APC members openly distributed money to voters in an attempt to sway the result.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the vote, the ADC candidate alleged that several APC leaders, including local‑government officials, arrived at the polling unit carrying large sums of cash for the purpose of buying votes.

He also claimed that his driver was injured in an altercation at the polling unit while trying to shield him from being pushed. The driver was reportedly taken to a hospital for treatment.

Bejide said the incident was reported to the police but expressed disappointment with what he described as the inadequate response of security personnel on the scene.

He condemned the alleged vote‑buying as a violation of democratic principles and an embarrassment to the electoral process.

Bejide’s son, Olumide Bejide, also alleged that APC leaders flooded all polling units in Ilawe with large sums of money, distributing it to voters. He said such actions were against INEC rules and that APC leaders were “fond of buying the conscience of the masses.” He added that the money being thrown around could have been used to repair Ekiti’s bad roads and condemned the act.

In response, APC chieftain Makinde Araoye dismissed the accusations and maintained that the election was being conducted peacefully across the state.

Araoye told journalists that the electoral process had been smooth, noting that improvements in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) technology had significantly reduced the time required for voter accreditation and balloting.

He expressed confidence that Governor Biodun Oyebanji would secure re‑election, arguing that the governor’s performance in office had earned him widespread support among residents.

Addressing allegations that he was involved in a confrontation with Bejide at the polling unit, Araoye denied any wrongdoing. He said he was merely visiting polling units within his ward to monitor the electoral process when a disagreement occurred. According to him, the dispute arose after Bejide allegedly tried to prevent him from moving around the polling area. Araoye insisted that he had every right to observe activities within his ward and acted only in self‑defence.

As of the time of this report, neither the police nor INEC had issued an official statement regarding the allegations raised by the ADC candidate.