Osun poll: Accord Party spent at least N40bn, Fayose replies Davido

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, in a recent interview, claimed that the Accord Party spent a minimum of N40 billion during the 15th August Osun State governorship election. This statement followed the claim by Afrobeats singer Davido, who alleged that the All Progressives Congress spent N110 billion on vote-buying during the election.

Davido, the nephew of the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate Ademola Adeleke, also stated that the Accord Party did not spend any money during the election, relying instead on the support of the Osun State populace.

Fayose dismissed the notion that the election was won solely through prayer or popular support, while affirming that both leading parties heavily invested in the election. He also alleged that more than N7.5 billion was distributed to local governments and wards shortly before the election, with a minimum of N35 million per ward.

Fayose, however, did not provide evidence for the figures he cited. He called into question the distribution of money in the weeks leading up to the election, pointing to the freezing of accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which he found suspicious.

The election results showed Adeleke securing 511,067 votes against the APC's Bola Oyebamiji, who garnered 444,815 votes, a margin of 66,252 votes. Fayose suggested that the margin was largely due to Adeleke's stronghold in Ede, where the Adeleke family has significant political influence. He dismissed the claim that the APC's candidate selection was solely responsible for their defeat, attributing it to the political strength of the Adeleke family in Ede.

When asked about whether the APC should contest the election results in court, Fayose said that the figures should be contested if there were grounds to do so, referring to the votes recorded in Ede.