The Oyo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has apologised to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Mr Mutiu Agboke, over allegation that he was bribed to the tune of N10 million to favour a group during the last ward congresses of the party held last weekend.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, a group, PDP Likeminds, had alleged that Agboke met with governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in the middle of the night on the day of the congresses where he was said to have been bribed with N10 million.
The group further alleged that Agboke then instructed officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the state to shut out the group during the congresses.
However, in a swift reaction, Agboke described the allegation in its entirety as fictitious, complete falsehood and a figment of the imagination of the faceless group.
He further threatened to institute a legal action against the group for it to prove the allegation before a competent court of jurisdiction.
During a courtesy call on Agboke, on Thursday, the leadership of PDP in the state apologised to Agboke over the allegation, saying the group is unknown to the PDP in Oyo State.
Speaking on behalf of the state excutives who were all at the meeting, the State Secretary of the Party, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke, revealed that the person who signed and released the statement on behalf of the group to the media was not a member of PDP in Oyo State.
Adeleke, who described Agboke as a man of honour, integrity and sincerity, also apologised for meeting the REC for the first time while acknowledging the level playing field provided by the Commission during the 2019 election which gave the party a majority vote.
While responding, Agboke assured that no amount of blackmail will prevent him and the Commission from doing the right thing.
He further reiterated his earlier stand that the allegation was a complete falsehood and an imagination of the anti-democrstic group.
Agboke, while appreciating the party exco for the visit, made a roll call of the list of exco submitted to the Commission on July 26, 2018, to be sure that he was relating with authentic exco.
He also enjoined them to always honour invitations of the Commission whenever they are invited to any stakeholders meeting.
