The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has accused the All Progressives Congress of spending a total of N3billion naira on the just concluded APC Governorship Primary elections in the State, and also the party has earmarked the sum of N25billion for the July 14th, 2018 Gubernatorial elections in the State.
The Governor who made this allegation via his social media page said despite the huge amount being thrown around by the ruling party, his candidate Professor Olusola will triumph come July 14th and succeed him as the new Governor of Ekiti State.
Though we cannot substantiate this allegation, it does raise more questions than answers as to how money comes to the forefront when it comes to the issue of elections in Nigeria.
If you could recall, almost four years ago, this same allegation of money exchanging hands and how the then President and former Minister and the then Military Chiefs were alleged to have used military planes to transport billions of naira to influence the outcome of the Ekiti State Elections that brought in Governor Fayose to power for his second coming.
A case that has seen some of those involved being charged to court and others still standing trial, seems to be replaying itself almost four years later if the allegation by Governor Fayose is anything to go by.
Clearly, money has become one of the factors if not the most important ingredient in our elections that has come to stay, that when you do not have access to them, you are as good as not even standing for the elections. Becuase without the money, the election is lost already, even before the election proper…lol…it also comes with bags of rice and bread, with handkerchiefs…lol
In his tweet, while making the allegation, governor Fayose after mocking the APC’s 77-man Committee, made tweeted this as a follow up:
Unfortunately for the APC, their army of occupation is facing a Peter The Rock, they will be roundly defeated and the more they gather, the sweeter their defeat. Having spent over N3bn on mere primary election, they have earmarked over N25bn on Ekiti election, they will fail.