The August 15 governorship election in Osun State has been marred by allegations of extensive financial misconduct, with both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord party reportedly spending over N100 billion combined. This staggering amount far exceeds the N3 billion limit set by the Electoral Act 2026 for campaign expenditures per candidate.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord party emerged victorious with 511,067 votes, defeating Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who garnered 444,815 votes. The financial outlay for the election was funneled into various areas, including campaign materials, vote buying, and payments to agents, canvassers, and security personnel across 3,763 polling units and 332 wards in the state.

According to reports from Saturday PUNCH, the APC paid its agents N100,000 each, while Accord agents received N20,000. This translates to a total of approximately N376.3 million for the APC alone, with Accord's expenses likely mirroring that figure. Additionally, the security personnel deployed at polling units were compensated with N100,000 by the APC and N80,000 by Accord, contributing to a combined total of around N865.49 million for security expenses.

Vote buying was rampant, with the APC reportedly allocating N40,000 per voter. A local government chieftain claimed that the party spent billions to secure votes, stating, "We saw money and we started dancing. It was a huge amount of money in my local government." Estimates suggest that the APC's total expenditure on vote buying reached approximately N22.578 billion. The Accord party also engaged in similar practices, targeting 150 voters per polling unit at N20,000 each, amounting to a potential N11.289 billion across the state.

The financial extravagance extended to electoral officers, who were reportedly paid between N150,000 and N300,000 each. A former APC lawmaker revealed that his unit alone spent over N400,000 on electoral and security personnel. The cumulative financial contributions from various political figures, including governors and ministers, reportedly reached N36 billion in support of the APC.

The Electoral Act clearly stipulates that a governorship candidate should not exceed N3 billion in campaign expenses, yet the reported figures suggest widespread violations. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, has called for the prosecution of both parties for breaching these regulations, emphasizing the need for accountability in the electoral process.

Controversy surrounding the election funding has escalated, with claims from various quarters alleging that the APC spent upwards of N60 billion. Deji Adeleke, brother of the governor, and popular musician Davido have both made allegations of the APC's expenditures reaching N110 billion. However, the APC's spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, dismissed these claims as unfounded and challenged the Adelekes to provide evidence.

As the dust settles on the Osun governorship election, the implications of such financial misconduct raise critical questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Nigeria. With both parties accused of engaging in vote buying and exceeding legal spending limits, the call for reform and stricter enforcement of electoral laws has never been more urgent.