Accusations and counter-accusations between the two leading contending parties for Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State – the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress – continued on Friday.
While the PDP alleged that 50,000 already thumb printed ballot papers were found with Otunba Tunde Badmus, an ally of Governor Rauf Aregebsola and candidate of the APC, the party in power in the state said two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were arrested in Obokun Local Government Area of the state attempting to divert sensitive election materials.
Badmus, said to be an Osun State-based industrialist, was described as one of “Aregbesola’s major financiers”.
The 50,000 already thumb printed ballot papers were alleged to have been found in his farm resort in Osogbo.
He was said to have been whisked to Abuja by operatives of the Department of State Service.
The APC in turn said that the two INEC officials were apprehended around 3am on Friday.
One of the suspects, alleged to be the Electoral Officer for the local government area, was said to have confessed to the act but refused to reveal those who sent him as he pleaded for mercy.
He was said to have admitted that he rode before now in some vehicles allegedly owned by a chieftain of the PDP in the area, Chief Francis Ade Fadahunsi.
It was equally alleged that his phone call logs showed that he had been in constant touch with Fadahunsi via voice calls and short message services.
Policemen were said to have prevented him from being lynched in Otan-Ile.
The APC gave the registration number of the INEC vehicle that was allegedly being used for the diversion of the materials as FG 816 V01.
It said the suspects are being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Command in Osogbo.
As at press time, Kayode Idowu, the spokespersons of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, could not be reached for comments.
The police in the state also declined comments on the developments.
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