Police arrest Atiku’s ally with $498,100 day before election
A federal lawmaker, said to be an ally of Atiku Abubakar the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Chinyere Igwe has been arrested by the police with $498,100 a day before commencement of the 2023 general elections.
Penpushing reports that the River State Police Command in a statement said Igwe, member House of Representatives representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency was arrested in the early hours of Friday with the cash
“Police Officers from Rivers State Command deployed to INEC Headquarters Aba Road today at about 2:45 a.m., while on stop and search, arrested Hon Chinyere Igwe, member House of Representatives representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency with a cash sum of 498,100 USD inside a bag in his car,” Grace Iringe-Koko said in a statement on Friday’, the command said
Penushing further reports the police said a list for the distribution of the money was also recovered from the lawmaker, adding that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in the state, Abutu Yaro, has ordered a swift interrogation and arraignment of Igwe in the court.
The statement emphasized that the command has urged all contestants and political parties to comply strictly with provisions of the Electoral Act and other relevant laws before, during and after the general elections.
Penpushing also reports that spokesperson for Atiku Campaign Council in the state Leloonu Nwibubasa, denied knowledge of the incident, but a video of Igwe being interrogated by the security agents was made available by the Rivers State Government.
The arrested politician in the video, told his interrogator that he was driving home in the early hours of Friday (about midnight) when he was flagged down by a stop and search security agents along Aba Road.
“They said I should come down and I came down. They searched and saw the money. Part of the money is meant to support the party while the rest is my personal money. The money was given to me on Thursday where I left it in my car’.
Penpushing reports that in the video when asked who gave him the money that does not belong to him, did not reveal the identity of the person in the short video, and in his reaction the Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, said he was not aware of the incident, as well as if Igwe has any connection with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate.
The image maker of the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) said Igwe’s arrest was part of the game plan of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because they have nothing to offer.
Penpushing further reports that, it is recalled that few days ago, the radio and television stations belonging to Igwe was attacked by gunmen in the state, and few .months ago, a filling station belonging to him was sealed by the Rivers State Government over alleged involvement in illegal bunkering but Igwe had dismissed it, saying he was victimised by Governor Nyesom Wike for supporting Atiku.
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