Former Edo State governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has revealed that he won all 18 local government areas during his 2012 re-election without giving money to anyone.

Oshiomhole made the disclosure recently while condemning electoral fraud, which he described as the “worst crime” in a democracy.

He said: “My 2012 re-election in Edo State, I won in all the 18 local government areas. I did not give money to anybody.”

“Instead, I told the voters, if my opponent, who allegedly had money to give you, you can collect it, no receipt, no refund. But I have no money to give you, but I will give you my all in terms of development.”

“So, I think it is about people recognising that the worst crime you can commit is to cheat on elections, because the beauty of democracy is to have that inner feeling that, of the number of the people in your constituency, that out of over two hundred million people, you have been chosen by the state to apply their resources in a creative manner to deliver the greatest good to the greatest number.”

“On vote buying, there are penalties. We’ve made provision for it. There are penalties for a presiding officer who willfully acts in a manner that undermines the will of the electorate or twists or destroys the ballot sheet in a manner as to turn the outcome in favour of the loser.”

“And the penalty is not only monetary, but also a penalty for jail.”

“On the side of INEC officials, there are penalties. On the side of the candidates, there are also penalties.”