…..As Mayaki calls on EFCC
Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State including the governorship candidate of the APC, Monday Okpebholo and the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole are already delivering bags of rice to voters in an attempt to sway the polls in their favour ahead of Saturday elections, it has emerged.
A video sited on X showed some trailer loads of federal government rice being discharged into Adams Oshiomole’s house in his village. It was learnt that the rice was meant to be used as palliative during these harsh periods but reserved for vote buying.
The former Governor is not alone in the vote buying spree, his counterpart at the red chamber and governorship candidate of the APC, Monday Okpebholo was reported to have ended his campaign yesterday with the distribution of rice to voters.
A statement circulated by Okpebholo’s campaigners said, “He captured the hearts of Edo people by distributing a trailer-load of rice to Edo People”, which confirmed accusations of vote buying.
It was learnt that it was part of the strategy of the APC to use federal government rice meant for palliatives for vote buying. Those being offloaded in Oshiomhole’s house are expected to be repackaged on the eve of the elections and shared to hungry Edo people to woo their votes, it was learnt.
It would be recalled that the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede has warned against vote buying and selling in the Saturday election.
In a reaction, former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo Edo state, Mr. John Mayaki said, “They are very happy that somebody is offering them food that they ordinarily can’t get because of their votes after the same party impoverished them. Now, our people now see rice as gold and the donors as their saviour, this is the irony of the whole issue.
“A failed party whose policies have led to the massive hunger in the land now wants to entice voters through stomach infrastructure. ‘Take my rice, give me your vote’. It’s more like giving out short-term, small things in return for the means that allows them to maintain their position at the trough. This is corruption and wickedness at its best but they call it politics of the belly and this is basically its purest form, giving someone a sack of rice. They are just handouts, straight bribes.”
While calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take their task seriously Mayaki said, “the Electoral Act stated that any person who ‘buys or offers to buy any voters’ card whether on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding N500,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both’. No sacred cow and nobody must be spared”.
Peoplesmind