The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo has said that the command is investigating the purported arrest of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abayomi Tella and two staff of Independent National Electoral Commission, Toryem Joe-Stans and Mandara Amina Mamman at Iperu Remo in the early hours of Saturday with huge amount of money suspected to be for vote buying in the ongoing Remo Federal constituency by-election.
Ogunlowo disclosed this to our Correspondent when asked to confirm the content of a viral video showing the arrest of the PDP state Chairman, the two INEC staff and some other people.
The CP said “We are investigating the matter, that’s how much I can say for now, you may please call back later in the day for further information”.
A voice accompanying the video said “At the early hours of today, August 16, 2025, these people including two INEC staff were arrested. The INEC staff were posted here for the the House of Representatives by-election for Remo Federal constituency.
Rather than doing the right thing, they were found hobnobbing with the politicians and this huge amount of money was found on the INEC man who claimed to have been contacted by his Constituency Supervisor to go and meet the politician.
“They are already giving police useful information on this case. The INEC man said that the people that gave him the money were in a hotel at Iperu Remo, and these three people; Jonathan, Akeem Oyinlola and Abayomi Tella were met in the hotel.
However, Tella, the state PDP Chairman in the video instantly distanced himself from the purported money found with the INEC staff saying that “I don’t know anything about this money you’re talking about and I am still waiting for you (the police) to tell me why I am here”.
Meanwhile, the opposition party has however condemned the arrest of its Chairman in an hotel saying that it was nothing but sheer intimidation and harassment backed by the security agencies to give the ruling All Progressives Congress upper hand in the election.
They stated that it is disheartening that the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), who are entrusted with upholding law and order, have shown clear complicity in these dastardly and cowardly acts.
The party said that rather than apprehending the real perpetrators of this violence, security operatives have turned their focus on harassing and victimising opposition parties.
This is just as the party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo and made available to journalists, raised raised a alarm over the rampant violence that marred the Federal Constituency Bye-election in Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne.
They claimed that “Reports from the ground paint a grim picture of heavy gunshots, brazen harassment of voters, and intimidation of electoral officers”.
This shameful display of thuggery and lawlessness is a direct assault on the democratic rights of our people. The PDP strongly condemns these acts and calls for immediate action to restore sanity and justice to the electoral process.
The party said that ”In a particularly shocking move, the PDP Chairman was arrested in his hotel in the early hours of the morning, in what appears to be a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition and pave the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their thugs to manipulate the election.
“This blatant attempt to suppress the opposition and undermine the will of the people of Remo is a dangerous precedent. The people of Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne know who they voted for and witnessed first-hand the brigandage and threats to their mandate.
“The Dapo Abiodun administration’s failure to curb this regime of terror, aided by those paid to protect lives and property, is dragging our state back to the dark ages where life was described as “brutish and nasty.” This is not the kind of leadership that inspires confidence or progress.
“The PDP stands with the people of Remo and will not sit idly while their democratic rights are trampled upon. We demand a thorough investigation into the role of the security agencies in this electoral violence and call for the immediate release of our Chairman and other opposition members unjustly targeted.
“The Nigerian Police must rise above partisan politics and do their duty to protect all citizens, not serve as tools for political oppression. Governor Dapo Abiodun and the security agencies must be held accountable for every single life lost and every act of violence perpetrated during this bye-election.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the international community to take note of this descent into lawlessness in Ogun State.
“The PDP remains committed to defending the mandate of the people and ensuring that democracy thrives. We will not be intimidated, and we urge the people of Remo to remain resolute in their demand for justice and fairness. Enough is enough—this reign of terror must end, and those responsible must face the full weight of the law.
