Bye-election: EFCC arrests Bauchi gov’s aide for ‘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 was quoted by the Guardian as saying.

“The money is not his own, the money belongs to our party agents, presiding and returning officers.”

Reacting to the incident, Uba Ahmed, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi, said his party could not be harassing the PDP because it is the ruling party in the state.

“It has everything in its power to do anything it wants,” Ahmed reportedly said.

“Our members have witnessed one form of harassment and intimidation or the other in the last one year, yet we have kept mute.”