The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, has directed the Ogun State Police Commissioner, Olanrewaju Oladimeji, to investigate Governor Dapo Abiodun over allegations that he loaded N5 billion on bank-linked vouchers to buy votes in the March 18 gubernatorial election.
It was gathered that this follows a petition written to the Police headquarters by the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Ogun, Ladi Adebutu.
Adebute had alleged that the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) bought votes and perpetrated electoral violence and intimidation of voters.
Speaking through his lawyer, Ehi Uwaifoh, Adebutu accused Governor Abiodun of using N5 billion to induce voters with pre-loaded top-up gift cards loaded with N10,000 and N5,000 each.
He said the N5 billion used by Abiodun in printing the cards and their cost violated the financing threshold of N1 billion mandated by section 88 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
In a letter dated May 8, signed by the principal staff officer to the IGP, Idris Abubakar, the Ogun police command was ordered to investigate the governor’s alleged multibillion-naira vote-buying.
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“Attached herewith is a copy of (a) letter dated 2nd May 2023 received from Ehi Uwaifoh & Co, on the above-underlined subject. The inspector-general of police directs that you deal with the complaint and report findings.
“Accept the assurances of the inspector general of police’s warm regards,” the letter stated.
In the petition, Adebutu, who is contesting the victory of the incumbent governor at the governorship election petitions tribunal, listed 16 people suspected to have worked with Abiodun and the APC chairman in Ogun to send heavily armed thugs to attack some PDP supporters and voters.
The PDP candidate had accused the IGP of refusing to investigate his petition on suspected vote-buying and other electoral violence against the Ogun governor, while the command charged him at the Ogun State High Court for allegedly purchasing votes in the election.
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