The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of suppressing police reports on votes buying and violence during the March 18th governorship election.
In a statement signed by the it’s Director of Media, Afolabi Orekoya, the party stated that after due petition, the ruling party has put untold pressure on the Ogun State Commissioner of Police and his officers to suppress the release and distort the findings of the Investigation ordered by the 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 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 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 clearly established the diversion of Ogun state funds for the purpose of buying 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 in clear 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 clearly lacked the power under Section 145(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 to prosecute electoral offence.
“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 influence the ongoing petition against Dapo Abiodun and the APC at the Ogun State Governorship Election Tribunal”, he said
Afolabi, however, warned that the findings of the Investigation should not be tampered with and distorted, saying that the world deserved to know what transpired days before and during the March 18, 2023 governorship election In Ogun state.
