Ogun 2023: PDP, Adebutu Call For Release Of Report of Police Findings On The Allegation of Vote Buying, Violence Level Against Dapo Abiodun, APC
The Ogun State Chapter of Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) and its Governorship candidate in the March 18, governorship poll in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu has alleged efforts by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to suppress the investigation into the alleged vote buying and violence levelled against the Ogun State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, and its Governorship candidate.
Adebutu in a statement issued on Friday by his media aide, Afolabi Orekoya said PDP and its governorship candidate are aware of efforts by Dapo Abiodun and APC to coerce the State Commissioner of Police from withdrawing into investigating allegations of violence and vote buying during the March 18, governorship election.
Adebutu and PDP said “We are aware that the governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun and the APC in Ogun State are putting untold and unbearable pressure on and threatening the Ogun State Commissioner of Police and his officers to suppress the release and distort the findings of the Investigation ordered by the immediate past Inspector General of Police based on our petition dated May 2, 2023
“In support of our petition and in addition to the evidence made available to the police by our party which has aided a thorough investigation of our petition, the police questioned enough witnesses and got facts and information which we believed to have enriched the report that has since been concluded. Yet the police have refused to submit and release the findings and report of the investigation.
“Information at our disposal indicates that the findings established the diversion of Ogun State funds to buy votes to ensure the re-election of Dapo Abiodun, the woeful performing governor of Ogun State, 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 was the same police who without interviewing or taking statements from those against whom the APC levelled allegations of vote buying hurriedly sent in an interim report and released same to the press.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice in a most unprofessional manner and an abuse of its prosecutorial powers promptly charged our candidate and supporters before the Ogun State High Court based on the incomplete and inchoate investigation report. When they clicked the power under Section 145(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 to prosecute elcelectoralfence.
The powers to prosecute electoral offences are 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 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 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 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.
“The President had at the ECOWAS Summit before the whole world pledge his commitment to Democracy and the Rule of Law. The rule of law is the equal treatment of all before the law without bias and favouritism, irrespective of political affiliation. We believe how the report of this investigation is handled will be a litmus test of that commitment and pledge before the whole world.
“We warn that the 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, engaging thugs to snatch ballot boxes and papers and destroy them and cause harm to our supporters and sympathisers are brought to book.
