– Recovers PVC, cash, voter register
– Govt kicks
By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
The Osun State Police Command has arrested the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr Teslim Igbalaye, along with five other persons for allegedly being involved in vote merchandising ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
In a statement issued by the command, the Police said the arrests followed a raid on the SSG’s residence at the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo on Wednesday, adding that Permanent Voter Cards were recovered during the raid
According to the Command, officers recovered a register containing voters’ details, raising concerns over possible electoral offences.
Other items allegedly recovered from the residence include ₦4.8 million in cash, a Dynabook laptop, photocopying machines, a printer, and voter registers covering Wards one to fifteen in Osogbo Local Government Area.
The Police also identified the other suspects arrested at the residence as Abiodun Arowomole, popularly known as “Ashipa,” who was described as a wanted murder suspect on the Command’s watch list, alongside Taiwo Akande, Lukman Adeyemo, Muftau Olaoye, and Musiliu Aderemi.
The Command said investigations are ongoing into allegations of vote buying, criminal conspiracy, and harbouring a wanted suspect. It added that the allegations have significant implications for the administration of justice and the credibility of the democratic process.
The Police reiterated its commitment to enforcing the law without fear or favour, affection or ill will, and urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and provide useful information that could help prevent crime and ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and credible governorship election.
However, Vanguard gathered that the SSG went to report himself at the police command after hearing the news of the raid at his residence.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government had condemned the police operation, describing the raid on the SSG’s residence as illegal.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government said ward officials were holding a meeting within the premises at the time of the raid, while the SSG was attending a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The government further alleged that the police had, a day earlier, raided the residence of the Commissioner for Energy in Ikire, ransacking the building and destroying several properties.
It called on traditional rulers, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and President Bola Tinubu to intervene, alleging a pattern of targeted actions against top government officials and members of the Accord Party in Osun State.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC’s campaign council, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Remi Omowaye, said the raid justifies the party’s warnings over the ruling party’s plot to embark on vote buying and election manipulation.
“For months, the APC has consistently raised concerns over the activities of violent political elements operating in the state. We have repeatedly warned that Governor Ademola Adeleke and his co-travellers, having lost the confidence of the people, have resorted to intimidation, violence and other unlawful means in a bid to influence the forthcoming governorship election, even when the people of Osun have rejected them on account of their poor performance. This latest raid has vindicated our party.
“To this end, we commend the Nigeria Police Force for the professional operation and encourage the security agencies to sustain the momentum by conducting thorough investigations wherever credible intelligence points to the stockpiling of weapons or the harboring of criminal elements. No individual should be above the law”, he added.
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