Election Rigging: Gov Akeredolu Moves to Save Name, Writes Police to Probe Allegation

By Ayodele Oni, Akure

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has raised the dust over allegation that he was rigged into office in 2015.

Consequently, he has written to the Commissioner of Police in the state to investigate the allegation.

After he resigned as secretary to State Government last week, Mr  Ifedayo Abegunde had said that Governor Akeredolu did not win the election, but was assisted to emerge.

He had since refuted the claim saying what he meant was that the opposition PDP did not win either but that the victory of Akeredolu was made possible by cooperation of members of the APC.

In a letter on Tuesday, Lawyers to Governor Akeredolu wrote to the Police  saying:  “We have the instruction of our Client to call on your office to set all the necessary machineries under your control as the Commissioner of Police, in motion, to unravel the truth or falsehood in the allegation(s) of Hon. Sunday Ifedayo Abegunde, by conducting a thorough investigation into the allegation in this petition.

“Your expected in-depth investigation of the shocking and viral allegation(s) of Hon. Sunday Ifedayo Abegunde, would help to restore the probity, credibility and public confidence in electoral processes in Nigeria, particularly now that the 2020 Governorship election in Ondo State is at hand.

“In the event that your investigation reveals that the allegation(s) are false and maliciously invented simply to scandalize our client, we demand the immediate prosecution of Hon. Sunday Ifedayo Abegunde for the criminal offence of publication of defamatory matter, in contravention of Section 375 of the same Criminal Code, and punishable with two years imprisonment, as well as any other offence for which he may be found culpable.”

The letter was signed by Mr Femi Emodamori on behalf of the Governor and APC in the state.