Police, DSS storm INEC office in Osun over alleged plan to doctor election materials font size Print Email 07.Sep.2014 DISQUS_COMMENTS Oluwole Ige - Osogbo ANTI-RIOT policemen and officials of the Department of State Security (DSS), on Saturday, stormed the Osun State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged plan by some desperate politicians to tamper with election materials used for the August 9, 2014 governorship poll, under the guise of inspection. The development came amid speculations that a top ranking INEC official in the state had allegedly collected a bribe of N5 million from a major political party with a view to allowing its chieftains access to the election materials and carry out some manipulations to tidy up loose ends. Investigation indicated that both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to visit INEC office early next week to officially inspect electoral materials, having been granted the leave by the Election Petition Tribunal to do so. But, a top official of the umpire was said to have come to the INEC’s state office on Saturday morning and allegedly gave some cash to few people, found therein, pleading with them to allow some politicians of a major political party access to the election materials, despite the fact that yesterday was not a working day. There was also a rumour over alleged plan by some hoodlums to burn INEC office, in Osogbo with the ultimate aim of destroying some of the sensitive and non sensitive materials used for the last governorship poll. However, acting on a tip off, anti-riot policemen, numbering over 15 and operatives of the DSS stormed the INEC office, situated along Gbongan-Ibadan expressway around 4.15 pm to thwart any attempt by any unauthorised persons to gain entry into the premises. When our correspondent visited the area, some of the mobile policemen in two Hilux patrol vans and DSS officials were sighted mounting security in the place, which was under lock and key. Commenting on the development, the state director of the DSS, Mr. Iorkya Andrew, who spoke on the telephone said operatives of the agency were at the INEC office to protect the place. He said, “there was nothing like the arrest of INEC officials going in to tamper with election materials. I received a call from one of the members of a political party today but there was nothing like that.” Also, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Osun, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, also denied the report, contending that “no such case was reported to us.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 06:24:53 +0000
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