The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Myson Nejo, has voiced concerns over the widespread vote-buying that allegedly marred Saturday’s election.
Nejo, who secured third place with 4,138 votes, attributed his loss to his refusal to engage in vote trading.
Reflecting on the situation, Nejo remarked that candidates who were able to purchase votes from the electorate emerged victorious.
Speaking on Sunday, he expressed pride in his campaign’s integrity, despite the outcome.
“I extend my gratitude to the people of Ondo State for their support. Without any monetary incentives, they cast their votes for me. I firmly believe my votes are valid as there was no vote-buying or unethical conduct on my part. To me, that makes me a true winner,” he said.
Nejo highlighted the scale of vote-buying during the election, noting that amounts as high as N20,000 were being offered for votes. He described the practice as deeply troubling.
“In some cases, votes were bought for between N10,000 and N15,000, while in my polling unit, it ranged from N10,000 to N15,000. I chose not to offer any money, and as a result, I received only two votes at my unit and around 40 votes overall,” Nejo stated.
He remained steadfast in his stance against vote-buying, noting, “People called me, asking for money in exchange for their votes, but I refused. If they wanted to vote, they should vote without any financial inducement. I was not willing to spend even a kobo on such practices.”
