Police Arrest PDP Chairman, INEC Officials Over Alleged Vote-Buying in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested two members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including its state chairman, Abayomi Tella, alongside two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over alleged involvement in vote buying during the Remo Federal Constituency by-election.

The suspects were reportedly picked up in Iperu in the early hours of Saturday with huge sums of cash suspected to have been earmarked for bribing election officials and influencing voters. Police sources said those arrested have already provided “very useful information” about their roles in what was described as a plan to compromise the election.

However, the Ogun State chapter of the PDP swiftly countered the development, claiming that its chairman, Tella, was arrested in his hotel in what it described as “a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition.” The party alleged that the move was designed to give the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) an advantage in the polls.

Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun cast his vote at Osanyin Ward Three, Unit 002, Iperu, and commended the process. Shortly after exercising his franchise, the governor expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the by-election.

“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.”

Governor Abiodun also hailed the impressive turnout of voters at his polling unit, describing it as proof that citizens were willing and ready to take part in the democratic process.