Ondo State deputy governor, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, has denied allegations of vote buying at Saturday’s Akure South/Akure North Federal Constituency bye-election.
Some members of the public alleged that they sighted Aiyedatiwa distributing money at Ward 9, Polling Units 3A & 3B at Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
A voter, who requested anonymity, claimed to have seen the deputy governor in the act.
“We saw the deputy governor. He came to share money. Let them share any amount, he will fail. This is opposition party unit; we won’t allow them to snatch any ballot box,’’ she said.
Ayedatiwa, who refuted the allegation, vehemently told newsmen that he didn’t leave his Alagbaka neighbourhood in Akure.
“It is not true. How can I go around distributing money? What is my own with that? Anyone that says so should bring evidence where they saw me distributing money.
“I live outside Government House. I live among the people. I don’t live in Government House for now. So, if some people say they saw me, maybe they saw me around my area. I don’t understand what they are saying,’’ he said.
Former Commissioner for Works in Ondo State, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, also told newsmen that the deputy governor only went to polling units to monitor the election situation.
“You can see for yourself that the election is peaceful. As a senior citizen, the deputy governor came to see the situation, seeking the peace of the election.
“How can he be distributing money? This is not a market place. You were here. You saw by yourself. Did be distribute money?
“Do they have that record that we have snatched ballot boxes? Why are they insinuating? Are they afraid? It is a peaceful election; we will not create crisis and at the end of the day, a winner will emerge,’’ Yusuf-Ogunleye said.
