The controversy surrounding the governorship ambition of Nigerian billionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, thickens as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, slams the Ondo indigene over allegations of bribery.
Jimoh Ibrahim, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, alleged that an official of INEC had demanded a $1 million bribe in order to accept his governorship nomination form.
“The commission hereby states, for the records, that from its preliminary investigation, nothing can be farther from the truth,” Adedeji Soyebi, the national commissioner in charge of publicity for the electoral body said on Monday, October 24, 2016.
Soyebi also revealed that when Ibrahim visited INEC’s office in Abuja, Toyin Babalola, whom he accused of demanding the bribe, had called three lawyers to witness what had occurred between both of them.
“On the first allegation, our investigation revealed that Mr. Ibrahim turned up at the INEC headquarters, Abuja unannounced, made his way to Mrs. Babalola’s office, brandished a copy of the court document and insisted that INEC should accept him as the official candidate of the PDP for the Ondo Governorship Poll.
“On sighting the unexpected guest, Mrs. Babalola called three other lawyers in her department to witness her encounter with Mr. Ibrahim and politely told him that the commission was already in possession of the court document.
“At no time during the encounter that lasted less than 15 minutes did Mrs Babalola ask for $1 million. Therefore, the allegation by Mr. Ibrahim is false.”
Ibrahim has obtained a judgement from the controversial Justice Okon Abang, purportedly, declaring him the rightful candidate of the PDP in the November elections.
The PDP had petitioned the National Judicial Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the federal attorney general over the “unethical conduct and criminal conspiracy” of Justice Abang with regards to Ondo governorship elections.
