Police operatives in Ogun State have arrested two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including the party’s state chairman, Abayomi Tella, alongside two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for alleged vote buying during the ongoing by-election in the Remo Federal Constituency.
The suspects were apprehended in the early hours of Saturday in Iperu, within the Ikenne Local Government Area, with huge sums of cash reportedly earmarked for inducing election officials and voters.
Security sources disclosed that the individuals in custody have already provided useful information regarding their roles in a coordinated plan to influence the outcome of the election.
The Remo Federal Constituency by-election, which covers Ikenne, Remo North, and Sagamu Local Government Areas, has drawn intense competition among political parties vying for the vacant House of Representatives seat.
In a swift reaction, the PDP dismissed the police report as politically motivated.
The opposition party claimed that its state chairman was arrested in his hotel room in what it described as a targeted attempt to weaken its electoral chances.
The PDP further alleged that the arrests were orchestrated to pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the by-election in its favour.
