Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has asserted that the Accord Party invested at least N40 billion in the recent Osun State governorship election held on August 15. This claim was made during a video interview with TVC journalist Nifemi Oguntoye, which was shared on social media.

Fayose's remarks came in response to allegations made by popular Afrobeats artist, Davido, who is also the nephew of the current governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke. Davido had accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of spending N110 billion on vote-buying during the election and claimed that the Accord Party did not engage in financial expenditures but relied on grassroots support from the people of Osun State.

In his rebuttal, Fayose contended that both the Accord Party and the APC engaged in substantial financial spending during the election, dismissing the notion that either party won solely through popular support or prayers. "Accord Party led the opponents. The money that went to that election from the Accord party itself cannot be under N40 billion. I stand to be corrected," he stated.

Fayose elaborated that over N7.5 billion was allegedly distributed to various local governments and wards just before the election, suggesting that the minimum amount allocated to individual wards was around N35 million. He pointed out that the timing of this financial distribution raised questions, especially in light of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) freezing accounts related to these transactions.

"The N20 million that went out like a week before the election that prompted the EFCC to freeze their account shows that something is not right. Why don’t you send those to the people six months ago?" Fayose questioned, highlighting concerns about the legality and ethics of the spending.

Despite the heavy financial expenditures, Fayose emphasized that the election results remained significant, particularly the margin of victory. Adeleke won the election with 511,067 votes, defeating APC's Bola Oyebamiji, who garnered 444,815 votes, resulting in a margin of 66,252 votes. Fayose attributed a substantial portion of this margin to Adeleke's stronghold in Ede, stating that the Adeleke family's political influence in their hometown was a decisive factor in the election.

Fayose also weighed in on the possibility of the APC challenging the election results in court, suggesting that they should pursue legal action if there are grounds to contest the figures. He expressed belief that the vote tally, particularly in Ede, was questionable, stating, "I believe it was pirated. That’s what I believe."

Furthermore, he indicated that President Bola Tinubu could have swayed the election in favor of the APC if he had chosen to intervene, contrasting the recent election with his own experiences during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election.

As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Fayose dismissed the notion that the Osun election results would inspire greater hope for the opposition in the upcoming 2027 elections, citing the failure of opposition parties to unite as a significant hindrance to their prospects. "The only thing that can give them hope has passed, which is they are coming together. They have failed to come together, and they cannot retrieve that back. That is certain," he concluded.