The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State for the March 18 polls, Ladi Adebutu might be in more trouble over the N2billion voting-buying allegation levelled against him.
OsunDaily News gathered from Premium Times that the Nigeria Police Force has submitted a report to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), indicting Adebutu.
This online news platform reported on Tuesday that the politician confirmed that he has dragged the AGF, IGP, EFCC, SSS, to court for accusing him of idulging in voting-buying.
While Adebutu’s spokesperson Afolabi Orekoya denied all allegations against his principal, the Nigerian police said it has concluded reports over the issue and sent it to the AGF and INEC, because it is election related.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Olademeji Yomi told Premium Times that “We have written our report and submitted it.
“The next step is for INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation to look into the report and determine how to proceed against the suspect.
“The investigator said Mr Adebutu had yet to honour their invitation to respond to the allegation. “Obviously, we have written to invite him (Adebutu), he does not appear to be in a hurry to honour our invitation.”
It was learnt that Adebutu ran into trouble on 18 March for allegedly using Verve ATM credit cards branded in the name of his late mother, ‘Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Endowment Scheme,’ to buy votes in all polling booths.
Recall that on May 14, this platform reported from Premium Times that Adebutu had gone on ‘self exile‘ when he claimed there were threats on his life for filling for a petition to challenge the victory of the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun at the March 18 polls.
But a police interim report stated that he had told police investigators, through his lawyers, following his invitation over the petition, that he was receiving medical treatment abroad.
The police commissioner in Ogun added that “We have done our investigative job and our report is already with the Attorney-General of the Federation and INEC,.
“It is an election matter so it is INEC and the Attorney-General who will take the matter forward, whatever they come up with, we will know the next line of action.
“We have covered all the necessary grounds we need to cover. We interrogated necessary suspects involved and the bank Interswitch. Only Adebutu is left for us to interview. So to that extent, the case remains open.
“We are now expecting the legal advice from the Federal Director of Prosecutions, who also has our investigative report. If Adebutu shows up, we will speak to him and update our report.”
