The Osun State Government has defended the N4.8 million recovered during a police raid on the residence of the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, insisting that the money was meant for an empowerment programme and not for vote buying ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The Senior Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Comrade Funmiso Babarinde, made the clarification on Thursday while speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
Babarinde dismissed allegations linking the recovered cash to electoral malpractice, maintaining that the funds were intended to support party members through a legitimate empowerment initiative.
He said, “Is N4.8 million too much money for a whole Secretary to the State Government? The money was meant for empowerment. If you want to give people N10,000 each, that is what it was meant for. Everybody is doing empowerment, the Federal Government, the First Lady, senators and members of the House of Representatives. Why should it become an offence?”
The governor’s aide also questioned the basis of claims that the money was earmarked for vote buying.
“If you are going to buy votes, do you buy votes from your own party members? These were his supporters gathered in his house. He is the political leader of his local government and it is normal for party members to meet there,” he added.
Speaking on the police operation, Babarinde alleged that the raid took place while Igbalaye was attending a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State.
According to him, police operatives stormed the SSG’s residence during the meeting and arrested several party members.
He said, “The Secretary to the State Government was with the national chairman of INEC during the stakeholders’ meeting when police operatives went to his house, searched the premises and arrested party canvassers from his local government.”
Babarinde explained that after receiving information about the operation, Igbalaye voluntarily went to the police headquarters to inquire about the arrested persons but was subsequently detained.
“So he drove himself to the police headquarters to ask questions and see if he could secure the release of his party members. When he got there, they told him he was under arrest without any prior invitation,” he said.
The governor’s aide disclosed that police recovered N4.8 million, two Permanent Voter Cards, voters’ registers for Osogbo Local Government, a laptop and a printer during the operation.
He, however, insisted that the voter registers were public documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission and were only being reproduced for party canvassers carrying out grassroots mobilisation across the 15 wards in Osogbo Local Government.
“There is nothing illegal about possessing the register because it is a public document released by INEC. They were simply printing copies for canvassers who would embark on house-to-house mobilisation,” Babarinde stated.
He added that the police claimed some persons they had been searching for were among those arrested during the raid, noting that while some detainees had been released, others remained in custody as of Thursday morning.
Babarinde further disclosed that the Peoples Democratic Party planned to stage a peaceful protest and address a press conference over the incident.
“The party is preparing for a peaceful protest and a press conference so that the whole world will know what is going on in Osun,” he said.
He maintained that no electoral offence had been committed and accused security operatives of portraying legitimate political activities as criminal acts.
