From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police to harass and intimidate members of the opposition party, voters, and electoral officers in the by-election into the Remo Federal Constituency.
The opposition party also alleged that the ruling party unleashed thugs to assault voters, particularly its supporters, saying the display of thuggery and lawlessness by the APC is a direct assault on the democratic rights of the electorate.
This accusation came on the heels of the alleged arrest of the Ogun State PDP chairman, Abayomi Tella, INEC officials, and other PDP members, with a huge amount of money meant for vote-buying, on Saturday morning.
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According to a video circulated on social media, the PDP chieftains and the electoral officers were arrested by security operatives at a hotel in Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.
The INEC officials, who identified themselves as Constance and Amina, respectively, claimed in the video that an INEC supervisor sent them to collect the money from the politicians.
Ogun PDP, however, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, said that the ruling party engaged in violence which marred the conduct of the by-election.
He noted that there were reports of heavy gunshots, brazen harassment of voters, and intimidation of electoral officers in Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne LGAs.
Adebayo, who condemned the alleged violence and intimidation, called for immediate action to restore sanity and justice to the electoral process.
The Ogun PDP spokesperson berated the DSS and police for allowing their personnel to be used by the ruling party to weaken the opposition in order to pave the way for the APC to manipulate the election.
“It is disheartening that the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), who are entrusted with upholding law and order, have shown clear complicity in these dastardly and cowardly acts. Rather than apprehending the real perpetrators of this violence, security operatives have turned their focus on harassing and victimising opposition parties. In a particularly shocking move, the PDP Chairman was arrested in his hotel in the early hours of the morning, in what appears to be a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition and pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their thugs to manipulate the election.
“This blatant attempt to suppress the opposition and undermine the will of the people of Remo is a dangerous precedent. The people of Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne know who they voted for and witnessed first-hand the brigandage and threats to their mandate. The Dapo Abiodun administration’s failure to curb this regime of terror, aided by those paid to protect lives and property, is dragging our state back to the dark ages where life was described as brutish and nasty. This is not the kind of leadership that inspires confidence or progress.
“The PDP stands with the people of Remo and will not sit idly while their democratic rights are trampled upon. We demand a thorough investigation into the role of the security agencies in this electoral violence and call for the immediate release of our Chairman and other opposition members unjustly targeted. The Nigerian Police must rise above partisan politics and do their duty to protect all citizens, not serve as tools for political oppression. Governor Dapo Abiodun and the security agencies must be held accountable for every single life lost and every act of violence perpetrated during this by-election.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the international community to take note of this descent into lawlessness in Ogun State. The PDP remains committed to defending the mandate of the people and ensuring that democracy thrives. We will not be intimidated, and we urge the people of Remo to remain resolute in their demand for justice and fairness. Enough is enough—this reign of terror must end, and those responsible must face the full weight of the law,” Adebayo stated in the statement.
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