The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested nine persons for vote buying in Osun, Ondo, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto States during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on Saturday.
The ICPC Spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
Ogugua said that four vote buyers were arrested by the Osun State Office of the ICPC, while two persons were arrested by the Sokoto State Office.
According to her, one person each was arrested by the Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Borno Offices of the anti-graft agency.
“The four vote buyers arrested in Osun State are Adewale Teslim, 32 years; Yemi Adebiyi, 42 years; Shake Idris, 36 years, and Emiola Joseph Oluwole, 69 years.
“The suspects, who are in Osun State Office custody, were found with documents containing lists of names, phone numbers and account details of voters during the election in the State.
“Operatives of the Commission retrieved a list of names and phone numbers of voters from Adewale Teslim at Polling Unit 07, Ward 07, Ile Aganna in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State,” she said.
According to her, the officers also recovered a list of people who had voted with their phone numbers and account details from Yemi Adebiyi at Polling Unit 06, Ward 04 at Ikirun Junction, Ikirun.
She said that Shake Idris was arrested at Polling Unit 6, Ward 10, Ofatedo area of Osun State with a note book containing over 100 names and account numbers.
“The anti-corruption agency also recovered a note book containing a list of voters’ names and account details from Mrs Afolabi Adijat at Ward 5, Polling Unit 04 of Ansar-ud-deen Mosque area of Olorunda Local Government.
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“The agency’s officers, however, couldn’t arrest Mrs. Afolabi Adijat due to the volatility of the area and insufficient armed personnel.
“The Ondo State Office of the ICPC arrested one Mrs. Idowu-Yemi Omolere at Polling Unit 12, Ward 12 behind Dada Estate Police State in connection with the distribution of recharge cards to voters,” she said.
Ogugua said that the ICPC personnel recovered 24 pieces of N500 recharge cards, a list of voters and their phone numbers as well as a techno phone.
She said that the Borno Office of the ICPC also arrested one Garba Bahausa at the Bulunkutu Ward in possession of four PVCs and the sum of N49,000.
“The suspect distributed the money, food items and 20 wrappers.
“In the course of his interrogation, Bahausa confessed that the money was given to him by a lawmaker to distribute to voters.
“The Akwa Ibom State Office of the ICPC arrested a woman, Mrs Idara Umoren, for collating the names and account details of voters suspected to have voted for her preferred candidate.
“Umoren was arrested at the Signature Hotel Polling Unit on Plot 48G Line, Ewet Housing Estate, Akwa Ibom,” she said.
She said that in the same vein, the commission’s operatives arrested two persons – Hassan Muhammad and Nafisa Sani – for alleged vote buying at the Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto.
“Muhammad was caught in possession of signed tickets which were given to voters that voted for his party.
“The ticket enabled the voters to be given women wrappers and bags of rice.
“Nafisa Sani was intercepted while giving wrappers to voters at a polling unit in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, has commended the officers for diligently monitoring the Presidential and National Assembly elections across the Federation.
Owasanoye said that their efforts had paid off as it helped in curtailing vote buying by some representatives of political parties.
He directed the state offices to carry out a detailed investigation of all those arrested for acts of corruption during the election on Saturday.(NAN)
