Punch Newspaper reports that, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Lawan Jimeta, who spoke to journalists at the Dass Divisional Police Headquarters, confirmed the arrest.
Politics
Bye-election: EFCC arrests a top Bauchi State government official for alleged vote buying
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Abdon Dalla, special adviser on civil service and labour matters to Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, over alleged vote buying.
Dalla was arrested on Saturday after voting during the Dass state bye-election in Bauchi.
The EFCC operatives reportedly recovered a sum of N1.5 million from his car. He was handed over to the police for questioning.
Speaking with journalists after the incident, Suleiman Mohammed, chairman of Dass local government, said the money recovered from the governor’s aide was not his but meant for party agents.
Mohammed, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, said he learnt that Dalla was arrested shortly after he addressed some reporters after voting.
“I was told that one of our stakeholders was arrested and I came to sympathise with him –which is normal. I have not spoken with him but I heard that shortly after he addressed some journalists, he was arrested,” the chairman said.
“The money is not his own, the money belongs to our party agents, presiding and returning officers.”
Legal Representative to the governor’s aide, Muktar Abubakar, also said Gin was arrested for having money in his car on election day.
He said, “He was arrested on a suspicion that he was having money in his car on the day of election but there was no evidence of giving money to anyone.”
Asked if having money on election day is a violation of the electoral process, Abubakar said, “To us as lawyers who know the law, it is not.”
Gin was later released on bail after he had been detained for about five hours.
