Ondo polls marred by alleged vote-buying as DSS nabs suspect

The ongoing Ondo governorship election has been tainted by allegations of vote-buying, with personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) apprehending a suspected vote buyer on election day. The incident occurred at Ward 4, Polling Unit 007, outside St Stephen’s Primary School in Akure, on Saturday.

According to eyewitnesses, DSS operatives and passersby demanded that the suspect open the boot of his Toyota Camry car, revealing two ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags allegedly containing cash. The bags were not opened before the cameras, but the suspect was swiftly taken away in a white bus.

The Ondo governorship election is highly contested, with Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Abbas Mimiko of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) vying for the top spot.

Reports of violence and intimidation have also emerged, with clashes between loyalists of the PDP and APC in Ofosu, Odigbo Local Government Area.