By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Sporadic gunshots, voters apathy and BIVAS failure to recognise aged voters have marred the election the Saturday bye – election for Ikenne, Remo North and Sagamu Federal Constituency of Ogun State.
The election which commenced amid low turn out and non – recognition of facial data of the elderly voters by the BIVAS in some polling centres at 8:30am in Ikenne and Remo North Local Government progressed relatively peaceful until noon time when armed hooded hoodlums invaded one of the polling centres – Wesley Nursery & Primary School Iperu – in Ikenne LGA and disrupted the ongoing voting exercise.
The Wesley Nursery & Primary School polling unit 4, Iperu 3 in Ikenne Local Government is the voting centre of the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.
And as of 12:43 Adebutu was no where to be found near his polling centre. He was said to have been placed on house arrest, paving way for the peace at his polling unit to be ruptured by hooded boys who were armed with dane guns when they stormed the venue.
Earlier before the roughnecks struck, an INEC official gave a figure of 750 as the number of registered voters and 123 accredited voters at the centre as of 12:03pm but the frightening sight of the invaders and sound of gunshot forced party agents, INEC officials and eligible voters to flee the scene.
The hoodlums also carted away two ballot boxes after they had forced the voting exercise to end abruptly
However, at the Igan/Ajina polling unit 16, ward 2 in Remo North Local Government, it was relatively peaceful but there were 445 registered voters at the centre but as of 11:am, just 64 people were available and accredited to vote. Even with the few turn out, the BIVAS machine encountered challenges identifying the elderly voters.
The situation was pathetic for the 70 – year old Sobanke Fassasi, who lamented he had not been able to cast his ballot for the candidate of his choice. He said the BIVAS machine could not recognise him despite repeated attempts.
Fassasi gave his polling centre as Wesley School Isara 2, polling unit 006 in Moborode/ Oke – Ola area of Remo North where voters turn out was also poor.
“I’m surprised and sad because I have not been able to vote. I came forward two times for accreditation and each time the BIVA$ could not recognize my face. I don’t know what happened,” he said.
The female Corps member handling the BIVAS said that the machine was failing to recognise the elderly voters but had no problem identifying young voters.
The Daily Crucible reports that the BIVAS machine failed repeatedly to identity Pa Fassasi, even after the handler had varied the direction many times.
Apathy was observed at the Wesley School Isara 1, polling unit 005 in the same Moborode/ Oke – Ola area of the Remo North. LGA.
The situation was also not different at the Ajegunle ward 6, polling unit 1 in Ogere, Ikenne Local Government Area where voters apathy was apparent.
Similarly, voters apathy was noticeable at polling unit 005, Town Planning Ilisan 1, which had 953 as registered voters but just 98 were accredited as of 11:am.
Police Arrest PDP Chair, INEC Officials, Others With Cash
Meanwhile, security operatives have arrested the Chairman of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abayomi Tella, other party officials, and two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for allegedly being in possession of questionable amount of money.
They were said to have been picked in an undisclosed hotel in Iperu-Remo area of Ogun State.
The arrested politicians and INEC officials were seen being questioned in a video clip posted on social media on Saturday.
In a viral video, the INEC officials, a male and a female, and the PDP officers coulf be seen squatting while being interrogated by an unidentified male security agent.
According to the interrogator, an intelligence report had indicated that the INEC officials had been contacted and given a large sum of money by the party officials for alleged vote buying during the by-election.
He disclosed that the arrest of the officials of the electoral body led to the eventual arrest of the PDP officers at a hotel in Iperu-Remo.
The male INEC officer told the interrogator that he was asked by his supervisor to go and collect the cash from the politicians.
…Police Confirm Arrest Of INEC Officials
Also, the State Police Command confirmed it has arrested two individuals identified to be officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others for alleged electoral offences in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, during the Federal Constituency Bye-Election held on 16th August 2025.
A statement by the command through its spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola stated: “At about 0045hrs, a police patrol team attached to Iperu Remo Division intercepted a Mitsubishi Spacewagon with registration number LAGOS AKD 887 HT with three occupants, Mr. Toryem Joe-Stans and Ms. Mandara Aminat, both officials of INEC, alongside their driver.
“A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of cash sum of two million five hundred thousand naira (₦2,500,000.00) from Mr. Joe-Stans Toryem. During interrogation, he confessed that the money was collected at Kehoy Hotel, Iperu, Ogun State, from a man he referred to as “Political Solution”, acting on the directive of his supervisor.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, Ph.D., has, however, ordered that the suspects be transferred to the State CID, Eleweran, for immediate discreet Investigation. He further assures members of the public that monitoring of the election is ongoing and the command will keep the public abreast of the outcome of the investigation.”
But the state PDP Chairman, who announced himself in the video as “PDP official in Ogun State”, was heard refuting the allegations of carrying cash-for-vote buying, saying, “You are just showing money; I don’t know anything about it.”
…. Ogun PDP Kicks, Condemns Arrest
However, the PDP has condemned the arrest of Tella, describing it as a ploy to intimidate and disenfranchise its members from the bye-election.
Director of Media and Communications of the party, Asiwaju Akinloye Bankole, in a statement made available to newsmen, said Tella was arrested at K Oil Hotel, Iperu Remo, around 3:30am by security operatives who allegedly broke into his hotel room in what he termed a “commando-style operation.”
According to him, the PDP chairman was in his hotel room relaxing with his driver and an aide when he was whisked away.
Bankole maintained that contrary to reports, no electoral materials were found in Tella’s possession, nor was he caught with large sums of money.
“The chairman had only ₦100,000 in his room. No electoral material was discovered in his hotel room or car.
“It is part of a grand plan to scare our people and disenfranchise them. This is unfortunate and shameful in a democracy,” the PDP spokesperson stated.
He also dissociated Tella from the arrest of two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others who were allegedly apprehended with large amounts of cash in the area.
“The chairman does not know the INEC staff arrested. It is practically impossible for him to lodge in the same hotel room with an INEC official.
He was only carrying out his responsibility as the state chairman of the party under whose watch this election is being conducted,” Bankole added.
While insisting that the arrest was politically motivated, the party called on relevant authorities to ensure the immediate release of its chairman, warning that attempts to suppress opposition voices during the election would not stand.
