Osun woman shares rice, urges residents to vote APC candidate

An Osun businesswoman, Alhaja Falilat Yusuf, popularly known as Ero-Arike, has sparked reactions online after a video showed her distributing rice to residents while urging them to vote for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate.

In the video shared on TikTok by Ero-Arike on Monday and translated from Yoruba by our correspondent, Ero-Arike was seen handing out rice packed in transparent polythene bags bearing APC stickers.

She was also dressed in a customised shirt and cap bearing the APC logo and a photograph of the party’s governorship candidate.

While distributing the food items, Ero-Arike said the rice was provided by the wife of a former Osun State governor. The claim could not be independently verified by our correspondent.

This rice was given to you by …. She told me to give you one per person, but I’ll give you two,” she said.

She subsequently urged the beneficiaries to support the APC candidates.

“Make sure to vote for …” she said.

She also warned the beneficiaries against collecting the rice without voting for the APC candidate.

The video has since generated reactions on social media, with some users questioning the distribution of food items to residents in connection with the election.

Reacting to the video, 9JA Next wrote, “Giving voters rice, beans, cooking oil, cash, hampers or similar items while saying or implying ‘vote for Candidate X’ can amount to electoral bribery.”

Another user, Vincent Ilomechine, said, “When will Nigerians free themselves from this mental slavery? Politicians know that a united Nigeria is the end to bad governance.”

DeAndrey wrote, “We still have a long way to go in this country. No matter how much you want to fight for these people, they’ll still embarrass you and show you the weakness of their lives. They use hunger and poverty to trap us in this country, Nigeria.”

Another user, Enas, said, “All those collecting the rice, make una nor come cry tomorrow o. Because of poverty, una say Nigeria nor go better, them dey share rice give una like prisoners. Slavery nor pass like this.”

However, Elejo Micheal called for a peaceful electoral process, saying, “At the end of the day, all we pray for is a peaceful, free, and fair election. May the people of Osun be allowed to choose their leaders without violence or intimidation.”

The development comes ahead of the Osun governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.

The election will see the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Oyebamiji of the APC and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress, among others, compete for the governorship seat.

The forthcoming election has been marked by heightened political tensions, with the major parties and their supporters trading accusations over alleged intimidation, political violence and the use of state institutions in the build-up to the poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has, however, maintained that it is ready for the election and urged stakeholders to ensure a peaceful process