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Officials of the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and two staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been apprehended by security operatives at an undisclosed hotel in the Iperu-Remo area of the state, with a considerable amount of money in their possession.
In a viral video, the INEC officials, a male and a female, and the PDP officers are seen squatting and being interrogated by an unidentified male security personnel.
According to the interrogator, an intelligence report had indicated that the INEC officials had been contacted and given a large sum of money by the party officials for alleged vote buying during the by-election.
He disclosed that the arrest of the electoral body officials led to the eventual arrest of the PDP officers at a hotel in Iperu-Remo.
The male INEC officer told the interrogator that his supervisor had asked him to collect the cash from the politicians.
Meanwhile, one of the PDP members, who introduced himself in the video as “PDP official in Ogun State”, was heard denying his involvement in the alleged cash-for-vote incident.
He said: “You are just showing money; I don’t know anything about it.”
However, the PDP has described the arrest as a ploy to intimidate and disenfranchise its members before the by-election.
Director of Media and Communications of the party, Asiwaju Akinloye Bankole, in a statement made available to newsmen, said the party officer was arrested around 3:30am by security operatives, who allegedly broke into his hotel room in what he termed a “commando-style operation”.
According to him, the PDP officer was in his hotel room relaxing with his driver and an aide when he was whisked away.
Bankole maintained that, contrary to reports, no electoral materials were found in his possession, nor was he caught with large sums of money.
His words: “He had only ₦100,000 in his room. No electoral material was discovered in his hotel room or car.
“It is part of a grand plan to scare our people and disenfranchise them. This is unfortunate and shameful in a democracy.”
He also dissociated the arrested member from the arrest of two INEC officials and others allegedly apprehended with large amounts of cash in the area.
“He does not know the INEC staff who were arrested. It is practically impossible for him to lodge in the same hotel room with an INEC official.
“He was only carrying out his responsibility as the state officer of the party under whose watch this election is being conducted,” Bankole added.
While insisting that the arrest was politically motivated, the party called on relevant authorities to ensure the immediate release of its chairman, warning that attempts to suppress opposition voices during the election would not stand.
The State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, told Vanguard that the command is investigating the purported arrest of Tella and two INEC staff with a huge amount of money suspected to be for vote buying in the ongoing Remo Federal constituency by-election.
Ogunlowo said, “We are investigating the matter. That’s how much I can say for now.
“You may please call back later in the day for further information.”
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