One week to the governorship election in Ondo State, rice, garri, maize and other food items are exchanging hands between politicians and hungry voters.
Apart from food items being used to induce voters, cash is also being deployed to buy the loyalty of the electorate.
Investigations showed that all major candidates and political parties are involved in this food-for-votes racket currently going on in the state.
Further confirming this observation, a civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has also come out alleging inducement of eligible voters by political parties ahead of the poll.
The head of Knowledge, Management and Learning, Yiaga Africa, Safiya Bichi, made the disclosure on Friday in Akure, the state capital, while presenting the organisation’s pre-election assessment report during the signing of the peace accord by the political parties that will be participating in the election.
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Bichi alleged that political parties and candidates in the state had resorted to inducing voters with cash gifts and food items to secure their support ahead of next week’s election.
According to her, the cases of voter inducement in Akure South, Ese-Odo, Ifedore, Irele, Ondo East, Ose and Owo local government areas during campaign activities.
She alleged that leaders of one of the major political parties distributed fertilisers, rice, garri and maize to community leaders who were assigned to distribute the items within their areas of influence.
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