The Chairman for the Ogun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abayomi Tella, has been arrested alongside three others have been arrested by the Nigerian Police in Iperu axis of the state after they were found possessing in possession huge sums of cash allegedly meant for vote buying in the Remo Federal Constituency bye-election.
The three others, who were currently being questioned by the law enforcement agency, include two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) identified as Amina Mamman and Toryem Joe-Stans, and a PDP member.
The suspects, who were said to have been arrested on Saturday, were reported to have provided very useful information to the police regarding their respective roles in the grand plan to bribe election officials and rig the by-election.
But in a swift reaction, the Ogun PDP claimed Tella was arrested in his hotel in what appears to be a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition.
The PDP alleged that the move was to pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the election in the ruling party’s favour.
Meanwhile, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, has cast his vote in his Osanyin Ward Three, Unit 002 in Iperu, in the by-election for Remo Federal Constituency.
Speaking shortly after exercising his franchise, Governor Abiodun expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the process and commended INEC for its level of preparedness.
“This morning, at the ongoing by-election for Remo Federal Constituency, I exercised my civic duty by casting my vote at PU 002, Ward 3, Ita-Osanyin, Iperu, in Ikenne Local Government Area,” he wrote.
“I commend the peaceful conduct of the election so far, the seamless nature of the process, and the commendable level of preparedness demonstrated by INEC officials at the polling unit.”
The governor also lauded the impressive turnout of voters at his polling unit, describing it as a sign that citizens are willing and ready to act.
