Adebutu, Ogun APC trade words over INEC official’s death

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oladipupo Adebutu, has accused the All Progressives Congress of sponsoring some political thugs that caused the death of an ad hoc staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Emmanuel Adeniran.

The ad hoc staff was attached to a polling unit in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area during the governorship and House of Assembly polls.

The Media Director for INEC in Ogun State, Ope Ajayi, confirmed the death of the ad hoc staff three days after the election.

Ajayi, while speaking with our correspondent in Abeokuta on Sunday, said the polling unit was attacked by thugs during the election.

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Adeniran was said to have sustained a serious injury while running away from the thugs.

He was reportedly rushed to the hospital on Saturday, was discharged later, but died on Monday.

Ajayi said, “I was not aware of it until the Resident Electoral Commissioner made mention of it. It is the electoral officer in charge of that local government that can shed more light on it.

“He was not killed; he was taken to the hospital, attended to, and discharged. Probably it was when he got home the second or third day that he died.

“Actually, the local government where he worked was attacked, and in order to escape, it seems he jumped through the fence, and I think he landed on something that injured him.”

Speaking at a meeting of the Conference of Political Parties for Good Governance in Ogun State, held in Abeokuta, Adebutu said Adeniran was reportedly killed when he refused to alter the results of the election.

He said, “One of the INEC officials in Ogijo refused to rig for the APC in Ogijo because we kept on saying Ogijo will get a border community development agency. The man, an indigene of Ogijo, refused to rig for them; they killed him; APC killed him—all because of this election.

“The man refused to rig, so they killed him—a man with three young children. I went there; you need to see that widow and the three children. Luckily, the man was smart enough; a lot of those results have been uploaded on the INEC Results Viewing Portal, but he still paid with his life.”

Adebutu asked Nigerians not to blame INEC as an institution for the anomalies in the last election, saying individuals who orchestrated the rigging should be fished out and made to face the law.

But reacting to Adebutu’s allegation, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Tunde Oladunjoye, said the PDP candidate was suffering from delusion.

He said, “Ladi Adebutu is trying to run away from his shadow, which is impossible.

“After his woeful loss of the election, he has suffered and is still suffering from delusion a hangover from his electoral loss.

“When, in fact, he should be answering questions from the police and other security agents on the breach of laws during the March 18, 2023 elections, he still struts the streets like one above the law.

“The death of the deceased officer is painful, condemnable, and it is wickedness of the highest order. Ladi’s panicky, popularity-seeking visit to the deceased’s family and his gibberish are attempts to obstruct police investigations.

“The people of Ogun State knows who is prone to violence; it is in the DNA of the PDP. Remember that a police corporal identified as Sunday Idoko was shot dead by unknown gunmen while escorting election results from Ipokia to the Ilaro collation centre on February 24, 2019.

“Ipokia Local Government is the home of Ladi Adebutu’s deputy in the March 18 governorship election, Kunle Akinlade, who was contesting in the 2019 governorship election as a candidate of the Allied People’s Movement.

“The police should use this latest case of gruesome murder to get to the root of the dastardly murder of the INEC officer and bring whoever is involved to book.”