FOUR days to the governorship election in Ondo State, political parties in the state are perfecting a variety of plans to emerge victorious.
The plans include stockpiling funds in homes for vote buying, major parties finalising merger deals with smaller parties to boost the number of their votes at the election, and parties and candidates wooing gatekeepers with huge sums of money to mobilize as many as possible electorate to their sides.
Multiple sources disclosed that at least N20,000 had been earmarked for each voter on election day, with politicians and parties willing to up the amount to get votes, especially in areas where they deem themselves unpopular.
One of the sources said, “This governorship election is going to be money for money as the politicians have devised means to bombard the polling areas where they perceived to be unpopular, with money, to woo the voters.
“They have planned to pay as much as N20,000 per vote. They planned not to take the cash to the polling units for fear of security agencies and EFCC but when they see the person’s thumbprints, his account details would be collected and the money transferred to him.”
Another source confirmed some of the parties had allegedly set aside certain huge amounts of money to woo the voters. He said they reportedly planned to buy votes for between N5,000 and N20,000, depending on their areas of popularity.
“Many parties rely on the money they would spend to buy votes on Election Day. They plan to spend N5,000 or N10,000 in the areas where they are popular and N15,000 to N20,000 where they are not. So, in some areas, money would determine who wins the poll,” the source noted.
This newspaper gathered that, in the past few days, politicians from different political parties have continued to storm banks to withdraw as much cash as possible.
Several bank customers, who desired to withdraw cash from the counter, were given less than they requested, with the excuse that there was limited cash available to go around.
Earlier, an NGO, Yiaga Africa, in its pre-election assessment report made available at the Peace Accord meeting with INEC and National Peace Committee recently in Akure, alleged that political parties and candidates had resorted to inducing voters with cash gifts and food items to secure their support ahead of the governorship election.
Yiaga also alleged that leaders of a party distributed fertilisers, rice, cassava, and maize to community leaders tasked with distributing these items within their areas of influence.
The group said, “Political parties and candidates have resorted to inducing voters with cash gifts and food items to secure their support in preparation for Election Day. Yiaga Africa Long Term Observers observed cases of voter inducement during campaign activities in Akure South, Ese-Odo, Ifedore, Irele, Ondo East, Ose and Owo Local Government Areas.”
As part of moves ahead of the election, multiple sources confirmed to our correspondents on Monday that about eight political parties would align with the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The alignment would see the leadership of the aligning parties mandate their supporters to vote for either the candidate of the APC or PDP.
The deals to join the two bigger parties were struck at the weekend, with announcements for support for either the PDP or APC candidates to be made within the next 72 hours.
He said, “About eight of the smaller parties want to ally with the bigger parties. These parties’ alliances want to make money from the proposed alliance.
“Many of them have been talking with the leadership of the APC and the PDP and some of the agreements were sealed last weekend and before Friday all of them would announce where they belong.”
Another source said, “It is clear that some candidates of some parties would step down for either Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa (APC candidate) or Agboola Ajayi of the PDP any moment from now because those concerned have concluded the arrangement over the weekend. But the terms of their agreement is what I can’t say for now but there is going to be a merger before Friday.”
Also confirming the development, a source within the APC said about five of the governorship candidates would discontinue the political journey with their former parties and join the ruling party.
“About five of them (the candidates) will join us before Election Day, they want to collapse their structures with that of Aiyedatiwa and we are very happy about the development, as you know, politics is about numbers. “There is one of the deputy governorship candidates who is very much with us. His mind is not with his candidate again; he has been discussing with the leadership of the APC for a long time, and he too will join us on Wednesday.