ADC’s Bejide Rejects Ekiti Guber Poll, Alleges Vote Buying, BVAS Tampering

By Joseph Sunday  

Ambassador Dare Bejide, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election, has rejected the results, citing widespread vote buying, voter intimidation, and manipulation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).  

Speaking to journalists at his Ado Ekiti  residence on Sunday, Bejide described the poll as “a bad day for democracy.” He said the ADC will meet with party leaders to decide its next steps, including possible legal action.  

Bejide claimed members of the ruling party arrived at his polling unit in Ilawe-Ekiti with large sums of cash and openly distributed money to voters. 

He alleged that when his supporters tried to intervene, they were harassed by security operatives and political actors.  

His driver was assaulted during the incident, Bejide said. The driver was struck with a firearm and later hospitalized with serious injuries.  

He further accused some security personnel of failing to protect voters and party agents. Several of his aides and party members were harassed during the poll, he added.  

Bejide argued that the mood across Ekiti after the results were announced reflected widespread dissatisfaction. The official outcome, he insisted, did not represent the will of the electorate.  

He also questioned the integrity of the BVAS, suggesting the technology may have been manipulated to influence the final tally.  

The candidate confirmed that Governor Biodun Oyebanji called him after the election. However, Bejide said his priority is consulting ADC leaders on the party’s official response.  

He urged his supporters to remain calm and peaceful, stressing that the party would pursue only lawful channels to address its grievances over the election’s conduct.