By Olanrewaju Lawrence
The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ogun State, has given the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Alamutu, 72 hours to make public the report of allegation of vote buying levelled against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, during the March 18 governorship election.
The State Chairman of the PDP, Dr Sikirulai Ogundele, who handed down the ultimatum on Monday, while addressing newsmen at the party Secretariat in Abeokuta, said the party was getting uncomfortable with the reluctance of the State Police command to release to the public the report of an allegation of vote buying levelled by the PDP against APC and Governor Abiodun.
Ogundele said, "The PDP was aware that Governor Abiodun and his party, APC were putting unbearable pressure and as well threatening the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu and his officers to allegedly suppress the release and distort the findings of the investigation ordered by the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Baba Alkali based on the opposition party's petition dated May 2, 2023".
"It is clear that Governor Dapo Abiodun after having a hint that many revelations on how he has diverted taxpayers’ money to pay “One Card Nigeria Limited” owned by Mr Tunde Odulaja up to billions of Naira to produce cards to buy votes in the March 18, Gubernatorial election".
"We are also aware that Governor Dapo Abiodun is trying to suppress the report because he knows the investigations have uncovered many atrocities he has perpetuated with his co-travelers with evidence provided by various witnesses and facts made available and how government accounts were used to buy votes".
Ogundele noted that "in support of our petition and in addition to the evidence made available to the police by our party which have aided a thorough investigation of our petition, the police questioned enough witnesses, got facts and information which we believed to have enriched the report that had since been concluded, yet the police have refused to submit and release the findings and report of the investigation".
He said, "Information at our disposal indicated that the findings established the diversion of Ogun State funds to buy votes to ensure the re-election of Dapo Abiodun, who was roundly rejected by the majority of the Ogun State electorate which led the governor and APC to resort to ballot snatching, poll disruption, destruction of electoral materials as well as physical attacks on supporters and sympathizers of our party, PDP".
"It should be noted that Governor Abiodun was happy and quick to applaud the police who without interviewing or taking statements from those the APC levelled allegations of vote buying against hurriedly sent in an interim report and released same to the media".
"PDP also faulted the Federal Ministry of Justice for allegedly conducting itself in a most unprofessional manner and in a clear abuse of its prosecutorial powers with the charging of its governorship candidate, Adebutu and other supporters before the State High Court based on the incomplete and inchoate investigation report when they lacked the power under Section 145(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 to prosecute the electoral offence".
Ogundele said, "The powers to prosecute electoral offences is exclusively the preserve of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The partisan and unprofessional action of the Federal Ministry of Justice under the control of members of the APC was designed for media sensationalism to allegedly influence the ongoing petition against Dapo Abiodun and the APC at the Ogun State Governorship Election Tribunal"
"The police who hurriedly submitted an interim report to aid the untoward and unwholesome design of the APC to intimidate us and our candidate to withdraw and abandon our election petition is now unwilling to release the report of the investigation of our petition, to give room for the report to be distorted and manipulated against the actual findings of the investigation".
"APC supporters have openly been boasting that the report of the investigation will be manipulated and will not see the light of the day. And that whatever the facts the report will exonerate Dapo Abiodun and APC. We did not believe the boast, however, the delay in the submission and release of the report have given us concern that the boast might be true after all".
"We warn that findings of the investigation should not be tampered with and distorted. Let the world know what transpired days before and during the March 18, 2023 governorship election In Ogun State. The interim report of the APC petition against us has been submitted and released. Let the report of our own be submitted and released. What is good for the gander is good for the goose".
"We call on the police in Ogun State to submit the report of the investigation as it is. We will not accept any distorted and manipulated reports".
"The Inspector General Police should be the true tiger against crime that he has promised. We urge him to ensure that the findings are not distorted and manipulated. And that those who have committed criminal infractions of looting Ogun State government funds to buy votes, engage thugs to snatch ballot boxes and papers and destroy them and cause harm to our supporters and sympathisers are brought to book", Ogundele said.
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