Senator Gbenga Ogunniya who heads Nigerian senate committee on Police Affairs was on Saturday arrested with four other law makers for allegedly tampering with and mass thumbing ballot papers in Ondo State re-run election for Federal seats to the House of Representatives.

 

Senator Ogunniya was arrested with Mr. Gbenga Elegbeleye, a member of the House of Representative representing Akoko North East and North West Federal constituency.  Two other colleagues from the House of Representatives, Temitayo Fawehinmi of Ondo East and West Federal constituency and Emmanuel Adedeji of Ile Oluji/Oke Igbo/Odigbo Federal constituency were also arrested.

 

Eye witnesses said that a leading governorship aspirant under the aegis of the ruling PDP, Mr. Tayo Alasoadura was also caught. They were all arrested and questioned by the Police who have also being accused of bias and attempt to cover-up electoral irregularities. The PDP denies the allegation.

 

The arrest of Senator Gbenga Ogunniya, the Senator representing Ondo Central in the Senate while leading a convoy of police men has been seen by many as an attempt to influence the conduct of the election into the House of Representatives from Akoko South East and Akoko South West Federal Constituency.

 

The AIG Zone 4, Mr. Muktar Abbas who spoke to journalists after the arrest said the Senator was invited to exchange information with the police. The police top shot also said three ballot boxes were retrieved but did not say from who and where.

 

Our reporter in Oka, in Akoko South West where the incidence happened said there have been illegal movements of men said to be in the convoy of the Senator before the arrest. There were also attempts to snatch ballot boxes and papers by men said to be working closely with the senator from Ondo Central Senatorial District.

 

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Alli Olanusi who hails from the constituency in a chat with media men said it is true that known players of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State brought policemen from Abuja ostensibly to stop the election. “They engaged in snatching of ballot boxes”. This was reported to the AIG in charge of the Zone. They obviously did not want the wishes of the people to prevail,” he said.

 

Mr Tayo Alasoadura, the Commissioner for Finance in the Agagu government who was also arrested was seen around the voting areas in the area. Driving in a convoy of several unmarked cars, the man from Iju in Akure North Local Government told those who questioned him that he was on his way from Abuja.

 

It is however on record that the state Police Command announced alternative routes from the voting zone to and fro Abuja.

 

Under the Nigerian Electoral laws, men not in any way connected with elections, like Senator Ogunniya in this case, are barred from interfering with the conduct of the elections.

 

The media had been awash before now with stories of movement of policemen into the area without the knowledge of the State Police Command. The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Donald Iroha had denied any knowledge of such movements some days ago adding however that his men were ready to arrest any situation that may unfold.

 

Efforts to get the source of the recovered ballot boxes were not successful as the AIG of Police, Abbas, volunteered no new information.

 

As at the time of writing this report, Senator Ogunniya and the rest have been released by the police.

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