NSCDC refutes alleged hijack of money by personnel in Ekiti

• Bamidele congratulates governor-elect over victory at polls
• APC did not buy any vote, says Oyebanji

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi, has described as false, frivolous and perhaps a figment of imagination of the writer and a media report alleging hijacking of money belonging to agents of one of the political parties arrested for vote-buying and thuggery.

He said the report was an attempt to cast aspersion on the image and credibility of the Corps, warning those involved to desist from further maligning the agency.

In a communique issued in Abuja yesterday, Audi said the personnel of the agency drafted to monitor the gubernatorial polls in Ekiti State arrested two persons, namely Tope Aderibigbe, also known as “Say War”, aged 36, in connection with thuggery and 42-year-old Mrs. Oguntoyinbo Bilikisu for vote-buying.

He explained that after searching the suspects, N6,720 was found on Oguntoyinbo, saying that it is malicious to allege that a money belonging to any political party, agents or any individual at Ikere-Ekiti Local Council polling unit was hijacked by the NSCDC.

MEANWHILE, the governor-elect in Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, said that neither himself, nor the APC was involved in the alleged vote-buying during the gubernatorial polls.

Oyebanji, who spoke with newsmen after he was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the Ekiti election by chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said his victory came by dint of the hard-work carried out by the APC-led administration in the state, coupled with his campaigns backed by a more reasonable manifesto to the people.

Also speaking, Adamu affirmed that the allegation of vote-buying was raised by the opposition elements that were losing at the polls.

RELATEDLY, Chairman, Southern Senators’ Forum and Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has congratulated Oyebanji for his victory at the polls.

Bamidele, who described Oyebanji’s victory as a well-deserving landslide success, said both the APC and its candidate were worthy of the massive votes of the electorate. He said that with Oyebanji as governor, Ekiti people are in safe hands.