‘It’s Nonsense’ – Tinubu Reacts To Allegation Of ‘Bank Account Harvesting’ For Vote Buying

The spokesman of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga has responded to an allegation that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu plans to buy votes in the 2023 presidential election using bank accounts, voter verification numbers, and bank verification numbers harvested from voters.

Naija News reports that Bayo Onanuga, made his position known to The Whistler on Monday when they sought his comment on the allegation levelled by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

CUPP had during a press conference in Abuja claimed that various support groups of Tinubu have harvested “over ten million account details” of voters in 22 states as part of plots by the APC candidate to induce voters during the 2023 election.

According to the group, the scheme tagged ‘Operation Wire-Wire (Digital Vote Buying)’ has the approval of the ruling APC “at the highest level” and is being executed by Tinubu’s support groups.

Onanuga described the allegation as “nonsense” and ‘underserving’ of his response. He further said “You people just come with all kinds of inventions (and) lies. I will not dignify it with any response…. Go and publish your rumour.” 

When reminded that the allegation was made by the CUPP and not the media, Onanugo said “It’s nonsense, I am not going to respond to all that.”

Meanwhile, during the conference addressed by its spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the CUPP said the alleged vote-buying plot was “designed immediately after the announcement by the CBN on redesigning the Naira.

This plot has now received approval at the highest level of the APC, and its Campaign Councils, also designed in Imo State and exported to twenty-one other states of the federation (and) require the party harvesting names, account numbers, and Voters Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers of citizens and arranged in tables for each polling units on the understanding that money will be sent to each person by electronic means to purchase their votes.

“This is a huge threat to the credibility and outcome of the 2023 general election, and it is against the provisions of the Electoral Account,” the group said.