Abuja property where electoral materials were found not mine – Gbajabiamila
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the property on 15 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja where some persons were arrested with electoral materials including Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) during the Saturday Presidential election does not belong to him.
Gbajabiamila’s reaction contained in a statement made available in Abuja Friday night was a rebuttal to some reports in some quarters.
Expressing displeasure over the report, the Speaker narrated the story.
“A few days ago, while the collation process for the Presidential election, which was held on Saturday 25 February, 2023, was ongoing, social media posts made by some unscrupulous people suggested that some persons were arrested with electoral materials, including the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and that the property where the purported persons were arrested belongs to me.
“I wish to put it on record that I do not own any property on 15 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja.
“Besides, the Nigeria Police Force has debunked the news via a press release by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
“The Police press release stated that: ‘Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), acting on a tip from Residents of an area in Maitama who reported suspicious activities, visited the location, interviewed the occupants, and conducted a search on the house.
“In the course of the search, some electoral materials and BVAS machines were discovered in their possession.
“However, the Independent National Electoral Commission, when contacted, confirmed that the occupants of the house are staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to the INEC, and they were immediately released to go about their lawful business.’
“I commend the Police for their timely intervention and clarification on the matter. I urge the public to disregard the allegation that I own the said property.
“At a time when fake news gains public attention on social media within the shortest time, it became necessary to issue this press release to set the record straight; else some people among the public would believe such brazen lies spread by purveyors of fake news,” Gbajabiamila said in the statement.
(TNT)
