In spite of the intervention of several chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has reopened criminal investigation case on allegations of forgery against the national chairman of the ruling party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Also being investigated in the forgery case are, some leaders of the party in Delta State.
APC candidate for the Sapele/Okpe/Uwvie Federal Constituency, Christopher Anirah, had petitioned the police after he was declared dead by the APC while his name was substituted with Gobson Akporehe with alleged forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The case was stalled following the transfer the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Edo State Command, Mr. Fave Sewali, who was suddenly transferred to Lagos after he invited Odigie-Oyegun for questioning.
The case has now been referred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Abuja by the IGP for “thorough investigation before prosecution of the persons involved”.
According to the report, the petitioner, Mr. Anirah was invited to the FCID to give his statement, revealing that police had begun investigation into the matter and the APC national chairman was also invited for questioning.
“You don’t worry, we working on the matter. When we conclude our investigation, the public will be told [about the outcome],” said the source.
When contacted for comment, Mr. Anirah also confirmed that he had honoured the invitation of the FCID to give statement.
The report indicated that the governorship candidate of the party in Delta State, Emerhor Otega, initiated a plan to reach a settlement with Mr. Anirah to withdraw his case.
The settlement plan included the condition that the APC would write INEC to state that the party was misled into declaring Mr. Anirah dead; payment of specified amount of money be made and that Mr. Anirah would cease to pursue the matter in court and withdraw it from the police.
However, Anirah confirmed offer of settlement proposed by Mr. Otega but said the plan failed as the parties could not agree on terms, as the conditions were not “pleasant”.
Although the petitioner admitted collecting the sum of N2 million from Mr. Otega, he said the money was part of what was due to him as the candidate of the party not part of the settlement.
When contacted, Mr. Otega said he met with Mr. Anirah in order to broker the matter. “I have been having discussions with Anirah on a way to settle a matter that is purely a party affair!
He agreed to terms of settlement, which were reduced to writing. He accepted and collected part payment in advance in form of a cheque, which he cleared.
“On the day of execution of the agreement, he reopened negotiations for a higher amount. We therefore suspended the discussion to allow him make up his mind as it was beginning to look like blackmail.
“I am involved because I am the leader of the party in Delta State and cannot allow anybody to drag the name of the party down. So we believe that we have responsibility to bring everybody to the table, put the matter behind us and move on as a party.
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