Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has cautioned the state civil servants against selling their votes, adding that the Electoral Offences Tribunal could prosecute whoever is caught collecting money to vote on Election Day.
The governor said that if any worker is caught taking money to vote for a particular candidate, such person will be on his own because the people offering the money may not be able to help set him or her free.
He urged the workers to vote and stay until result is announced and their elected candidate is announced.
The governor said, on Wednesday, this when he flagged off the distribution of letters of promotion to about 95 percent of civil servants at the Fajuyi Pavilion in Ado Ekiti.
The Governor alleged that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to entice people with money so that they can vote for them. He said that collecting the money at the polling centres may send people to jail if they are caught.
His words, “Be very careful of the way you collect money to vote during the coming election. They will use money to entice you. but collecting such money at the polling centres is an electoral offence.
“If you are caught and you are found culpable, you can be prosecuted and end up in jail. I have used your money to built structures that you can see across the state and it will remain there forever.
“The security people will arrest you and you will be prosecuted at the electoral offences tribunal. So be very careful. As for me, history will be kind to me because I have used your money well.
“Don’t allow them to rig the election, vote and stay there until the votes are counted and Olusola Eleka is declared winner. I want to tell you that victory is assured.”
The governor also promoted the entire work force by one step as his parting gift. He said that it was on record that throughout the four years he was in the saddle, he never sacked workers arbitrarily.
“I ask for your support for Olusola Eleka comes July 14, he is a visionary leader who will take over from me. He is one of us. I want to say we have only one state and we must preserve it.”
Governor Fayose reiterated his promise to either pay the backlog of workers’ salaries or reduce it to the barest minimum before leaving office.
