It is a few hours to the decisive governorship election in Osun, and telephone calls from far and near to families, friends, and particularly participants in the conduct of the poll have indicated fear and trepidation among distant onlookers and observers.

While the deafening cacophony of gunshots in hotspots like Ijesha land and Osogbo has claimed lives and dominated headlines, a more silent, transactional drama is unfolding in the shadows. In the nascent urban and semi-rural areas, the atmosphere is deceptively calm, a silence bought by the free-flowing rain of the Naira.

Transactional politics has reached a fever pitch. Across party lines, the electorate is unapologetically harvesting what they call “electoral booty.” Whether from the incumbent governor and candidate of the Accord Party, Ademola Adeleke, or the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, the currency is flowing. For many residents, refusing to “cash out” in the face of economic hardship is no longer seen as an ethical choice, but as a failure to survive.

A motorcyclist and resident of Kelebe area in Osogbo, the state capital, Muda Aliyu, described the intensity of the transaction, explaining that “they (politicians) are giving money around, and everybody knows it. I have got N15,000 from two different parties. Once we show them our voters’ card, we get paid.”

Last-minute push for votes

Armed with touch, a man in his 70s was seen in Okinni, in Egbedore Local Government Area, Osun West Senatorial District, beaming his searchlight on some homes in the dead of the night, not just to woo voters but to ascertain their commitment to his candidate, and the safety of their voters’ cards. After him came some young girls in their early 20s who were confirming the authenticity of the permanent voters’ cards and gave each owner N15,000 cash.

“On Saturday, after they finish voting and they show our agents evidence that they voted for APC, they have additional N20,000 waiting for them,” said one of the ladies who identified herself simply as Ikeola.

“It is a season to hustle. We came from school, and we cannot say no to this because we don’t know when next to see them (politicians) again after the election,” she added.

Raining curses

For the ruling party in the state, Mr Adeleke’s loyalists are no longer reckless with their cash gifts. For them, each voter to receive N10,000 must be ready to swear, or rather take an oath.

Though some claimed they collected N15,000 from the Accord Party, what is common across various communities is N10,000, as confirmed by DevReporting.

At a bus stop in Osogbo, a young man narrated how he stormed out of the home of a local party leader in Inisa when he was asked to swear before he would be handed his N10,000 share.

“Can you imagine? They said I should swear that if after collecting the money and I do not vote for Accord, all the curses in the Qur’an should be my portion, and I said I would come back. I ran out of the house ooo,” the source whose name was not confirmed had told his friends.

But an APC leader who craved anonymity told DevReporting that the party was prepared to double whatever the Accord Party offers during the poll.

“They are distributing N10,000 before the poll, and we are giving N15,000. If they do more than N15,000 on the day of election, we will do more. I can assure you that it is not only fire for fire but also money for money,” the party leader said.

 Justification?

For some residents, however, the money being offered during elections is not necessarily viewed as a straightforward exchange for a vote. A trader in Ada, Boripe Local Government Area, identified simply as Kemi, said the economic situation makes it difficult for some residents to reject money offered by politicians.

“Things are difficult now. If somebody comes and gives you money, it is difficult to tell the person no. But what we really want is a government that will make life easier,” she said. “People are collecting the money, but that does not mean they have decided who to vote for. Everybody knows that after the election, you are on your own.”

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the growing expectation of payments was driven partly by the belief that candidates and their supporters would spend money during the final stages of the campaign.

“People are watching to see what they will get. Some are saying that since politicians have money for the election, voters should also get something,” the resident said.

Situation worsened by LGAs leadership conundrum

This widespread surrender to inducement is the direct symptom of a governance vacuum. Since 2025, a leadership conundrum has paralysed the state’s 30 local government areas. With billions in allocations trapped behind court injunctions and industrial actions, grassroots infrastructure has withered, leaving residents to view election season as their only payday.

Since February 2025, a Court of Appeal judgment on local government leadership in the state had triggered a prolonged political and institutional crisis involving the APC and the state’s ruling political party, formerly the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), but now the Accord Party.

Both parties have laid competing claims to leadership across the state’s 30 LGAs and the Modakeke Area Council. Attempts by APC officials, previously removed by the state government, to reclaim council secretariats were met with resistance, resulting in violent clashes and reported loss of lives.

The crisis has been further complicated by the implementation of local government financial autonomy. The APC-aligned officials reportedly moved to open new accounts to control local government funds, while PDP stakeholders continue to dispute the legitimacy of such actions.

Amid the standoff, workers under the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) embarked on prolonged industrial action, effectively paralysing governance at the grassroots. Although workers have since returned, tensions persist, with dual claims to authority creating confusion and institutional breakdown.

More than a year later, the consequences are stark: public service delivery has deteriorated, infrastructure development has stalled, administrative leadership is unclear, and financial accountability has collapsed. Hence, the residents’ resolve to enjoy the fad of naira rain while it lasts.

The situation may have heightened concern over vote buying ahead of the election. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it will deploy operatives across all 30 local government areas of the state and warned against vote buying.

While the practice of giving voters money during elections is not new in Nigeria, financial mobilisation is increasingly taking place at the doorstep, with party supporters moving through communities and engaging voters individually.

The elderly campaigners

One elderly campaigner, who spoke during one of the evening mobilisation efforts, said the objective was to ensure that residents did not stay away from the polls.

“We have seen many elections in this country. We know the importance of voting, so we are encouraging our children and neighbours to come out and vote. We cannot just sit at home and complain about what happens after the election,” the campaigner said.

The mobilisation reflects the continued involvement of older citizens in Osun’s political life, particularly at the community level, where personal relationships and neighbourhood networks remain important channels for reaching voters.

Some of those participating are in their late 70s and have lived through different phases of Nigeria’s political history, witnessing successive administrations make promises on development, infrastructure, employment, education and social welfare.

Yet, decades later, they remain actively involved in political mobilisation, taking their campaigns beyond rallies and party meetings, into neighbourhoods and individual homes.

A resident, Mariam Ajiboye, said the elderly people moving through communities at night was a reminder that political participation is not limited by age.

“Some of these people are older than our parents, but they are still moving around to mobilise voters. It shows that they still care about what happens in the state,” the resident said.

The sight of elderly residents undertaking late-night mobilisation also contrasts with concerns about the participation of younger citizens, who constitute a significant proportion of Nigeria’s voting population.

With only hours remaining before voting begins, these grassroots efforts are likely to continue as political parties and their supporters make final attempts to mobilise voters across the state.

Beyond Saturday

As Osun residents vote Saturday, civil society organisations and the media have been urged to sustain scrutiny of government performance beyond the campaign period and ensure that electoral promises are not abandoned once politicians assume office.

Speaking with DevReporting, Adejumo Kabir, Senior Researcher with Good Governance Africa (GGA), a research and advocacy non-profit organisation with centres across Africa, said voters who receive campaign inducements should not consider such a substitute for holding elected officials accountable.

“A bag of rice or a cash payment cannot substitute for good governance,” he said, stressing that citizens should continue to demand transparency and accountability throughout the electioneering period.

“The circulation of money and material benefits during the final stages of political campaigns therefore raises questions that extend beyond the immediate election. I hope the state’s democratic process can move beyond short-term political transactions towards a stronger relationship between citizens and government.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has repeatedly warned against electoral offences, while security agencies have also pledged to maintain order and protect voters during the poll.

For voters, however, the immediate challenge is to distinguish between legitimate campaign mobilisation and inducements intended to influence electoral choices.