Fact-Check: Osun Election N70bn Vote-Buying Allegation Is Unproven

Claim: In a post on X, Senator Dino Melaye alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) spent ₦70 billion to buy 444,816 votes in the Osun State governorship election.

Verdict: Unproven

Background Story

The Osun State governorship election, held on August 15, 2026, featured fourteen candidates. Less than twenty hours after voting ended, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner.

During the voting process, allegations of vote-buying surfaced against several political parties, particularly agents of the APC and Accord Party, who were reportedly offering between ₦10,000 and ₦20,000 per voter in different parts of the state.

Reports by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) noted that vote-buying was the most prevalent election-day concern. At the same time, the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room also identified it as a major weakness of the poll.

The final results showed Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party polling 511,067 votes to defeat Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who secured 444,815 votes.

In response, Senator Dino Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleged that the APC spent ₦70 billion to buy its votes. He said many voters accepted money but voted for their preferred candidates, urging Nigerians to do the same in future elections.

See the screenshot of the claim below:

The allegation quickly spread online, drawing well over 78,000 views and sparking debate. Some followers questioned Melaye about his party’s role in the election, while others accepted that vote-buying occurred but doubted the accuracy of the ₦70 billion claim.

Verification

NDRFactcheck reviewed the claim but found no evidence supporting the ₦70 billion figure. Conflicting allegations also made the issue harder to verify.

Afrobeats star Davido claimed the APC spent ₦110 billion, while his father, Adedeji Adeleke, alleged ₦60 billion. Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, also alleged ₦60 billion. These inconsistencies suggest the figures remain speculative.

Independent observer reports provided more grounded estimates. The Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH), part of the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria, recorded 323 electoral offences, including 103 cases of vote trading, which was the largest category of irregularities.

A review by The Whistler estimated total electoral spending at approximately ₦43 billion, with vote-buying accounting for between ₦14.5 billion and ₦30.5 billion. This figure is significantly lower than the ₦70 billion Melaye attributed to the APC alone.

None of these reports, however, specified the exact amounts spent by individual parties.

While stakeholders such as SERAP have called for investigations into vote-buying and other electoral offences, no official document or independent probe has established how much each party spent.

The 2026 Electoral Act (as amended) stipulates that anyone convicted of vote-buying or selling is liable to a maximum fine of ₦2,000,000 or imprisonment for up to twelve months, or both.

Conclusion

The claim that the APC spent ₦70 billion on vote-buying in the Osun State governorship election remains unproven. Although credible evidence shows vote-buying took place, the amounts cited by Senator Dino Melaye and others remain speculative and lack independent verification.

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