Moshood Adeoti, a former Secretary to the Osun State Government, has openly told a group of youths at Post Office Housing units 2, 3 and 4, Gidigbo Ward 2, Iwo, Osun State, that he used to bring a minimum of N1 million to the polling units in the area on election days.
While addressing the aggrieved youths, who were protesting the lack of cash rewards for “deciding to come out and vote”, Adeoti, who served during the administration of Rauf Aregbesola, blamed his inability “to give them something” on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s naira redesign policy, which resulted in the scarcity of cash in the country.
“In the past, I used to bring about ₦1 million cash to this place. But that is not the case today. I don’t even have ₦50,000 cash. Where will I see it?” Adeoti asked while addressing the youths.
“No politician can even do that, because if they are caught, they can be arrested. It happened in Benue State, where persons arrested for vote-buying were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.”
He ended the discussion by promising to compensate the youths for their efforts once the election was over.
*(Adapted from a report by FIJ)
