Adeleke, Oyebamiji Clash Over PVC Sales Ahead of Osun Election

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress candidate for the governorship election, exchanged serious accusations on Thursday. They talked about an alleged scheme by politicians to buy Permanent Voter Cards from voters in the state.

Adeleke released a statement through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed. He claimed that the Osun APC was running an illegal operation to buy voters' PVCs. He said they wanted to take PIN numbers from the cards to stop people from voting on August 15.

The governor warned against these illegal activities aimed at ruining the voters' list. He called on the electoral commission to pay attention to this troubling issue.

In response, Oyebamiji spoke at a rally in Osogbo, the capital of the state. He said that some people were offering money to PVC owners in the state in exchange for their cards. Oyebamiji encouraged people to reject any offers for their PVCs and promised the traders help in the form of grants if he is elected governor.

But Adeleke maintained that he had information suggesting that APC members were going around collecting PIN numbers from voters without their knowledge. He said, "APC agents are extracting the PIN numbers on the voters cards through offering of monetary rewards. I warn that the operation is targeting local governments with huge followership of the Accord Party. The plot is to ensure massive dislocation of registered voters from their place of registration such as from one town to the other and thereby making it impossible for such voters to vote on the day of the election."

Adeleke added that in some local governments, APC agents were asking voters to swear an oath to take money to give them the PIN numbers or a photocopy of the voters' cards. He told voters not to fall for this evil plot that could deny them their voting rights.

He urged the electoral body not to ignore the situation. He said, "We have reports of insider collusion which we are still investigating. Any link between the pin numbers on the voters card and manipulations of the voting process is a source of concern for us. We trust the electoral body to act."

Oyebamiji also indirectly referred to the ruling party, saying those buying PVCs from voters had not taken care of the people for the past three years. He asked the people to reject their offers. He declared, "I, Munirudeen Oyebamiji, assure you that I will not disappoint you by the grace of God. I urge you to keep your Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and never sell them to anyone. What some people are doing now is buying PVCs indirectly."

He explained that some people were inviting young people to local government offices under false pretenses of job offers. They were collecting account details and sending money to them. He said, "The money they fail to provide over the past three years is now being used to deceive the people. Do not be deceived."

Oyebamiji promised not to make promises he cannot keep. He said, "I assure you that the Bola Munirudeen Oyebamiji administration will be an inclusive government. We will consult with market leaders and communities, asking what is happening in Sabo Market, what your needs are, and what government should do. We will not seek your votes and then abandon you after the election. Our government will belong to everyone."

According to The PUNCH, voters in Osun will go to the polls on Saturday, August 15, to choose a governor. The incumbent, Ademola Adeleke, is running again with the Accord Party. Oyebamiji from the All Progressives Congress and Najeem Salaam from the African Democratic Congress, along with 11 other candidates, have also been approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission to join the election.