The former senator says voters collected money allegedly offered by the ruling party but still exercised their choice at the August 15 governorship poll

Former federal lawmaker Dino Melaye has alleged that the All Progressives Congress spent about N70 billion to influence voters during the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, arguing that the outcome offered an important lesson ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Also read: Osun 2026: When the people speak, politics must listen

Melaye made the allegation in a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, August 17, two days after the governorship poll.

The former senator claimed that the ruling party’s alleged expenditure did not translate into the level of electoral support it expected, arguing that some voters who allegedly collected money still voted according to their preferences.

“Nigerians must learn from Osun election where APC spent a whopping 70 billion naira only to procure 444,816 votes plus rigging,” Melaye wrote.

He added: “The implication is that more people collected APC money and voted for their conscience.”

Melaye then urged Nigerians to apply what he described as the lesson from Osun to the 2027 elections, writing, “2027, collect APC money and vote your conscience. APC till we meet again.”

The allegation has not been independently established, and Melaye did not provide evidence in his post to substantiate the N70 billion figure or his claim of rigging.

The APC N70bn Osun election allegation comes against the backdrop of an intensely contested poll in which the ruling party sought to unseat the incumbent administration.

The election was held on August 15, following months of campaigning by the major political parties.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had repeatedly assured stakeholders that the poll would be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and Electoral Act, with the result expected to reflect voters’ choices.

The election was also preceded by concerns over political violence and allegations of intimidation. Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke had called for impartial policing and a credible electoral process before the poll, while urging voters to resist attempts to manipulate their choice.

Melaye’s comments therefore feed into a wider debate about vote buying, political mobilisation and the influence of campaign spending on Nigerian elections.

Vote buying has remained a recurring concern in Nigeria’s electoral process, with observers and civil society organisations repeatedly warning that financial inducements can undermine the ability of citizens to make independent choices at the ballot box.

The former lawmaker’s argument, however, is that accepting an inducement does not necessarily determine how a voter eventually casts a ballot.

His comments also shift attention towards the 2027 general elections, which are scheduled by INEC to hold on January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, followed by governorship and State House of Assembly elections on February 6.

With the next general election only months away, political parties are already positioning themselves for what is expected to be a fiercely contested cycle.

For Melaye, the Osun experience demonstrates what he believes could be a more independent attitude among voters, even where political inducements are allegedly offered.

His claim, however, remains an allegation and does not by itself establish that APC spent N70 billion or that electoral malpractice occurred during the Osun poll.

The broader significance of the former lawmaker’s intervention lies in the question it raises about the effectiveness of vote buying as an electoral strategy.

If voters accept financial inducements but subsequently vote differently, the practice would carry significant financial costs for political actors without guaranteeing the desired electoral outcome.

Also read: APM Says Osun Loss Signals Tinubu’s 2027 Risk

The debate is likely to continue as parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 elections, with the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process again expected to depend heavily on voters’ ability to make free choices and on the enforcement of laws governing election spending and inducements.