The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in the just concluded Ondo State governorship election, Myson Nejo, has condemned the conduct of the election, claiming that widespread vote buying played a key role in his defeat.
In an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, Nejo expressed disappointment in the election process, revealing that he lost because he refused to engage in vote buying.
Despite the setback, Nejo said he remained at peace with his principles and was proud of his campaign.
“I thank the people of Ondo State who voted for me without any monetary exchange. I believe my votes are genuine, and I can proudly say I didn’t resort to unethical practices,” Nejo remarked.
He added that, despite his loss, he felt like a winner due to his adherence to ethical standards.
Nejo further disclosed that vote buying was rampant throughout the election, with votes reportedly being purchased for amounts ranging from N10,000 to N20,000.
“In my polling unit, the price was between N10,000 and N15,000 per vote,” he said. “Because I refused to pay for votes, I ended up with only two votes in my unit and about 40 votes in total, but I have no regrets.”
The ADC candidate revealed that some voters had called him asking for money in exchange for their support, but he remained firm in his decision not to engage in the practice.
“I told them if they wanted to vote, they should vote. I wasn’t going to give a kobo for votes,” he added.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the election, with 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.
Aiyedatiwa emerged victorious in all 18 local government areas of the state, securing a decisive win in the election.
