For the records: Ogun State is not for sale!

By Lukman Akeusola

The efforts made by Ladi Adebutu to use money to buy people’s votes last Saturday indicate that his focus is not governance. He just wanted to fulfill his father’s lifelong ambition that one of his children should become governor, and he pumped an incredible amount of money into the process.

They made thousands of ATM-like cards preloaded with money and distributed them across polling units. This is contrary to the Electoral Act 2022. Indeed, many of their accessories to the crime were caught by security agencies with the ATMs bearing the name of his mother’s foundation.

The sum of N10,000 was purportedly preloaded into each of the cards. For these jesters to have tried to induce the people with money, they ought to be banned from politics forever.

But to make matters worse, the Chief Vote Buyer even scammed the people. Like many notorious criminals, he was incredibly dishonest even in his dishonesty. After results had been declared and it was clear that he had not won the elections, most of those activating the cards found that they had been rendered useless!

Think about it, if politicians can buy votes, why should they serve the people? Is it not just a matter of giving them a pittance every four years? Criminals such as this shouldn’t even be allowed to participate in the political process because the only thing they can offer is corruption.

Adebutu and Akinlade’s antics in the March 18 election are not surprising to close watchers of Ogun politics, though. Were these not the same set of criminals who struck a pre-election deal to share the patrimony of Ogun people among themselves, turning Ogun resources to apapin (kill and share)?

All of those arrested must be made to face the music. They showed utter contempt for the people of Ogun State. They reduced voters to N10k-per-election hungry people. They undermined the people’s resilience to elect a governor of their own choosing, a proven performer. They are political robbers. The man behind the entire scam must be hauled before the court of law and sentenced according to the degree of his involvement in the crime. Ogun is not, and will never be for sale!!

Akeusola lectures at Mass Communication dept., Mapoly, Abeokuta

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