The police have reportedly arrested 33 persons allegedly brought into Osun from neighbouring Ondo and Ekiti states ahead of today’s governorship election.
The suspects were reportedly arrested on Friday night at Babs Hotel, located behind the State High Court in Ede, following an intelligence-led operation by officers attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, according to a report by TheGuildNG.
The arrests came less than eight hours before voters were scheduled to begin casting their ballots in the August 15 governorship election, which features incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and other candidates seeking the mandate to govern the state.
According to the report, the suspects had Permanent Voter Cards showing that they were registered in Ondo and Ekiti states, raising concerns over an alleged attempt to move voters into Osun for the election. Police reportedly recovered 33 PVCs from the group and marked them as exhibits.
The alleged voter importation was reportedly uncovered through intelligence gathered by police operatives deployed ahead of the election. The report said the suspects were taken into custody after officers acted on information concerning their presence in Ede.
TheGuildNG reported that preliminary interrogation by the SCID linked the alleged mobilization to Muftau Abdulkareem, identified as a senior member of the Accord Party.
According to the report, Abdulkareem allegedly promised the suspects financial rewards after they voted for Governor Adeleke at polling units in Ede, the governor’s home area.
The report further stated that Abdulkareem left the premises after sighting the police and had not been arrested at the time of publication. Attempts by TheGuildNG to obtain his reaction to the allegation were reportedly unsuccessful.
Video footage obtained by the publication reportedly showed some of the detained persons speaking to police officers during questioning.
Also Read: E-Day in Osun: Contestants demand transparent poll
One of the suspects, identified as a 21-year-old artisan, allegedly said he travelled to Osun after being promised payment and claimed he had not informed his father about the trip.
Another suspect, a 64-year-old man, reportedly told the police that he was unaware that participating in the alleged arrangement could amount to an electoral offence.
The reported recovery of the PVCs is significant because the cards allegedly showed that the suspects were registered voters in other states. However, the circumstances surrounding their intended participation in the Osun election, including whether each person intended to vote or had already committed an electoral offence, remain matters for investigation and possible prosecution.
The reported arrests come against the backdrop of heightened security concerns ahead of the Osun election. INEC said the state has 2,339,233 registered voters, with 1,906,390 having collected their PVCs ahead of the poll.
The commission said the remaining 432,843 uncollected PVCs had been deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The police also imposed a statewide restriction on movement from midnight on Friday, August 14, until 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, as part of measures to secure the election, protect electoral materials and personnel, and maintain public order.
The election is taking place after weeks of political tension, allegations of electoral offences and security concerns involving rival political camps.
Earlier in the month, the Imole Campaign Council alleged that more than 60 Accord Party leaders and members were being held by the police, allegations that further fuelled disagreements over the conduct of security agencies ahead of the election.
The arrest of the 33 alleged imported voters therefore adds another layer to the controversy surrounding the poll, but the allegations against those arrested and any individuals allegedly behind their mobilization will have to be established through investigation and due legal process.
The suspects are reportedly expected to face prosecution after the election if investigators establish that electoral offences were committed.
TheGuildNG
