How Dapo Abiodun placed N5 billion on bank-linked vouchers to purchase votes in the Ogun governorship election is being looked into by IG Usman.
Usman Baba, the inspector general of police, has instructed Olanrewaju Oladimeji, the police commissioner in Ogun, to look into accusations that Governor Dapo Abiodun put N5 billion on bank-linked vouchers to buy votes in the March 18 gubernatorial election.
The instruction came after Ladi Adebutu, a candidate for governor of Ogun for the Peoples Democratic Party, petitioned the police commander, alleging that Mr. Abiodun and the APC had bought votes, engaged in election violence, and intimidated voters.
Speaking through his attorney Ehi Uwaifoh, Mr. Adebutu also alleged that Mr. Abiodun had used N5 billion to bribe voters with pre-loaded top-up gift cards loaded with N10,000 and N5,000.
He said the N5 billion used by Mr Abiodun in printing the cards and their cost violated the financing threshold of N1 billion mandated by section 88 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
In a letter dated May 8, signed by Idris Abubakar, the principal staff officer to the IGP, Mr Baba ordered the Ogun police command to investigate the Ogun governor’s alleged multibillion-naira vote-buying.
“Attached herewith is a copy of (a) letter dated 2nd May 2023 received from Ehi Uwaifoh & Co, on the above-underlined subject. The inspector-general of police directs that you deal with the complaint and report findings,” stated the letter. “Accept the assurances of the inspector general of police’s warm regards.”
Mr Abiodun did not respond to calls and messages placed to his known phone number on Sunday.
The governor has yet to appoint a spokesperson since taking office for a second term.
In the petition, Mr Adebutu, who is contesting the victory of the incumbent governor at the governorship election petitions tribunal, listed 16 people suspected to have worked with Mr Abuodun and the APC chairman in Ogun to send heavily armed thugs to attack some PDP supporters and voters.
Mr Adebutu had accused the IGP of refusing to investigate his petition on suspected vote-buying and other electoral violence against the Ogun governor, while the command charged him at the Ogun State High Court for allegedly purchasing votes in the election.
In the lawsuit in which Mr Adebutu is charged alongside nine other people, the police claimed the governor was at large