The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two persons over the allegation of printing fake membership cards and operating an illegal registration centre ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election fixed for Saturday.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya gave the name of one of the suspects as Mr Ariyo, a transporter in Ondo West local government area of the state.

Sources in the council area had said two supporters of one of the leading governorship aspirants were apprehended while operating fake membership registration centres.

They gave the names as

Ariyo popularly called Ajiroba, is a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) and Madam Rose, a popular car parts dealer in Ondo City.

One of the sources said the arrests of the suspects took place around 1:00 pm by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Area Command, Yaba, Ondo City, at Mr Ariyo’s residence.

Confirming the arrest of the suspects, Odunlami-Omisanya said two persons were arrested in their hideouts at a private residence while printing fake membership cards.

The PPRO said “On Wednesday, 17th April 2024, the Police received an intel that one Mr Ariyo, a transporter in Ondo town was registering APC Party members at his residence ahead of the party primaries slated for 20th of April, 2024. Police personnel from Yaba Divisional Headquarters led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police visited the house and recovered the items from the scene.”

Some of the items recovered from the scene, the police spokesman said included the APC party’s registration Booklets, a list of names of purported party members of ward seven Ondo, 53 passport photographs of different individuals, a jotter containing names, two exercise books with names and phone numbers of people and two slips of a registered form.

She said “Two suspects have been arrested and are assisting the Police with necessary information to apprehend others involved in this cynicism.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Abayomi P. Oladipo, admonishes all political aspirants to caution their supporters whose acts can stir the hornet’s nest in the state.

“The CP also ordered a total clamp down on incendiaries no matter whose ox is gored, as the Command has spread its tentacles to all nooks and crannies of the State to ensure the safety of lives and property and peaceful conduct of the party primaries in the state.” (New Telegraph)

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