Factional candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo State governorship election, Jimoh Ibrahim, has claimed that an official from the Independent National Electoral Commission demanded a bribe of $1m from him to process court judgement while accusing the electoral body of rejecting his papers as the authentic candidate of the PDP.
He told newsmen on Sunday that INEC was not an appeal Court, therefore, cannot determine who is the PDP candidate in the election.
Ibrahim, who was produced by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, insisted he remained the PDP candidate in Ondo, citing last week’s judgement by an Abuja High Court which ruled that the electoral body should recognise him.
Jimoh Ibrahim said that though the electoral body had said it will obey the court judgement immediately it was served, “the music changed immediately INEC was served the judgement.”
“After the service, the music changed. INEC should not allow one governor to destroy its reputation. One of the officials demanded for one million dollar bribe from me to process the court judgement,” he alleged.
The PDP chieftain who said he had petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and reported the official to the INEC Chairman, also demanded the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, saying that he was a card carrying member of the PDP.
Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekunmi, said, “it is not true that Mrs. Babalola demanded one million dollar bribe from Jimoh Ibrahim.
“Two other officials of INEC witnessed the encounter between Mrs. Babalola and Jimoh Ibrahim. Jimoh Ibrahim brought a copy of his judgement and wanted to impress it on INEC to collect it.
“But we told him that we already have it. It is uncharitable and ungodly of a businessman of his stature to make this kind of allegation,” he said.