ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Senator Dino Melaye has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) spent approximately N70 billion to procure votes during the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.
Melaye made the claim in a post shared on his official social media accounts on Monday, August 17, 2026.
“Nigerians must learn from Osun election where APC spent a whopping 70 billion naira only to procure 444,816 votes plus rigging. The implication is that more people collected APC money and voted their conscience. 2027 collect APC money and vote your conscience. APC till we meet again,” the former Kogi West senator wrote.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner of the election with 511,067 votes. APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes, while Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress finished third with 17,180 votes. Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.
Melaye, a vocal critic of the ruling party and a chieftain associated with opposition politics, presented the Osun outcome as evidence that financial inducement does not always translate into electoral success. He urged voters nationwide to accept money from the APC in future contests but still vote according to their conscience ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The allegation comes amid widespread reports of vote-buying during the Osun poll. Election observers and media accounts documented cash distributions ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 per voter by agents of major parties in the days leading up to the election. Rights groups, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), have called on INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged inducements.
As of the time of Melaye’s post, neither the APC nor the Independent National Electoral Commission had issued an official response to the specific N70 billion claim. The figure remains an allegation by the former lawmaker and has not been independently verified by electoral or anti-graft authorities.
Melaye, known for his outspoken style and history of political confrontations, has frequently criticised the APC on issues of governance and electoral integrity. His latest comments add to the post-election discourse surrounding the role of money in Nigerian politics and the resilience of voters in resisting inducements.
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