A renowned good governance advocate and public affairs analyst, Oluwatosin Babatunde, on Thursday urged residents of Osun State to reject vote buying and selling in the forthcoming governorship election, warning that such practices could jeopardize the integrity of the electoral process.

Babatunde made the call when he featured on a political programme aired on Aiyekoto FM, Iwo, monitored by Patriotic Insights News. He stressed that the future of the state depends on the voters’ ability to make informed choices free from financial inducements.

Describing vote trading as “a dangerous exchange that mortgages the future for temporary gain,” he urged the electorate to cast their votes based on competence, integrity, and performance, rather than short-term material benefits.

He further advised political parties and candidates to strictly adhere to electoral rules and regulations, noting that compliance is key to sustaining credible and transparent elections.

“Elections must be conducted within the framework of the law. Parties and candidates should focus on issue-based campaigns and avoid actions that compromise the process,” Babatunde said.

The analyst also called on electoral authorities and security agencies to intensify voter education and enforce sanctions against offenders, stressing that deterrence is crucial to curbing electoral malpractice.

He appealed to Osun residents to view their votes as a civic power and a long-term investment in good governance, not a commodity to be exchanged for immediate cash benefits.