Osun Election: Fayose Reveals How Accord Party Allegedly Spent ₦40bn In Campaign Spending

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has alleged that the Accord Party spent no less than ₦40 billion during the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.

Fayose made the claim on Wednesday during an interview with TVC journalist Nifemi Oguntoye, alleging that approximately ₦7.5 billion was distributed across local government areas and wards shortly before the election.

According to him, some wards reportedly received at least ₦35 million, depending on the number of polling units within them.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, the winner of the election. Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, alongside 13 other governorship contenders.

Fayose’s allegation comes amid claims and counterclaims over alleged vote-buying during the election. Award-winning singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, had earlier accused the APC of spending ₦110 billion on vote-buying.

Davido, however, argued that the ruling party in Osun did not depend on financial inducement to secure victory, insisting that Adeleke won because of the support of the people.

Fayose, while speaking on the matter, maintained that both major political camps spent heavily during the election.

He said, “Accord Party led the opponents. The money that went to that election from the Accord Party itself cannot be under ₦40 billion. I stand to be corrected.”

The former governor further alleged that billions of naira were transferred to various local governments and wards shortly before election day.

“Secondly, on Monday, they sent over ₦7.5 billion to the various local governments. Various wards. The minimum for the wards that got the minimum would be about ₦35 million,” he alleged.

Fayose explained that some of the affected wards had between seven and nine polling units.

He also claimed that the two leading parties spent far beyond the legally prescribed campaign spending limits.

“The fact remains that both parties spent stupendously. They spent beyond the threshold like every other political party,” he stated.

Fayose Questions EFCC Account Freeze

Fayose also raised concerns over financial transactions allegedly made shortly before the election, linking them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s accounts.

He questioned why funds were allegedly released to voters shortly before the election rather than being distributed months earlier.

**“The ₦20 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?”** he asked.

Despite his criticism of the alleged financial activities surrounding the election, Fayose acknowledged the significance of Adeleke’s victory and argued that the geographical spread of the votes deserved attention.

He particularly pointed to Ede, the Adeleke family’s political stronghold, where the governor reportedly secured a significant advantage.

According to Fayose, the Adeleke family’s longstanding influence in Ede made the decision to field a different candidate against them unlikely to change the outcome.

**“The Adelekes are rooted in their hometown. Omisore or APC has no presence. So courting an Omisore or giving an Omisore the nomination, what would it change? Nothing.

“Because 66,000 votes differential, 46,000 from Ede alone. You can’t do nothing about it,”** he said.

Fayose consequently dismissed the argument that the APC’s defeat was solely the result of its decision to nominate Oyebamiji.

He maintained that the Adeleke family’s political influence in Ede remained a major factor in the election.

Fayose Urges APC To Go To Court

Fayose also advised the APC to seek legal redress if it believed the election results were compromised.

“I think they should go to court,” he said when asked whether the opposition party should challenge the outcome.

He maintained that any questionable figures should be subjected to judicial scrutiny if the APC had sufficient evidence to substantiate its claims.

Addressing the votes recorded for Adeleke in Ede specifically, Fayose alleged that the figures were questionable.

“I believe it was pirated. That’s what I believe,” he stated.