Sen. Nicholas Tofowomo representing Ondo South Senatorial District has refuted an allegation of administering oath to some youths in his constituency to prove their loyalty.
The senator in a statement by his media aide, Mr Olumide Akinrinlola, on Friday in Okitipupa, said the allegation was untrue and mischievous.
He described the allegation as a fiction concocted to bring down his personality and set him against his constituents ahead of the 2023 general elections.
An Ondo State-based lawyer, Mr Akin Sowore, had reportedly written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, seeking arrest of the senator over the alleged ‘spiritual’ dealing.
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In the petition, Sowore alleged that the senator hypnotised some youths in his constituency after inviting them to his residence for an empowerment programme on June 21.
“Tofowomo prepared some ritual concoctions with car radiator water and fed the youths suspected to be delegates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to keep them under oath to support him in the forthcoming senatorial primary.
“The occultic act hypnotised the youths,” the lawyer claimed, adding that the senator sent N200, 000 to their various bank accounts in order to induce them for the same purpose.
Tofowomo urged members of the public and his constituents to disregard the allegation which he described as a political distraction ahead of his second term bid.
He said that he was open to investigation by the police.
“My attention has been drawn to a poorly written petition by a lawyer to the I-G requesting for my immediate arrest over allegations of ritual dealing with some constituents in Ondo South.
“I am open for investigation by the police, but it is important to set the records straight that the allegation is the handiwork of some politicians and detractors ahead of the 2023 elections.
“The politically-orchestrated watery petition should be ignored by the good people of Ondo South and the unsuspecting public because the lawyer only wrote to mislead the public for political gains.
“For the record, there is no meeting held at my residence on the date quoted in the petition by the lawyer where people were lured to take oaths or swear with car radiator water to prove their loyalty.
“The only meeting held was a senatorial meeting with my former 92 aides, some PDP chieftains and pastors, who offer prayers for my quick recovery from health challenges as a result of a motor accident last year.
“The spurious allegation is mischievous, untrue, and falsely concocted to dent my image ahead of the 2023 general elections because of my distinguished and intimidating achievements within two years, “Tofowomo said.
He said that the lawyer should support the allegation with concrete evidence or be arrested and prosecuted. (NAN)