By our correspondent
The chairman of Obi Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State, Mr.
Joshua Zheyekpuwudu, has refuted reports that he was caught and
arrested with ballot papers by operative of Department of States Security (DSS) on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Mr. Zheyekpuwudu, who debunked the reports in an interview with
journalists in Lafia, the state capital, described the allegation as fake, hand work of his political enemies who are out to rubbish his integrity and image.
He explained that the papers he was actually seen with were mere dome
copies used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) during electioneering campaigns to teach and enlighten their members on how to vote for all APC candidates.
His words: “I was heading to my village to vote on Saturday morning when I and came across a security check point in Lafia, after searching my official vehicle the dome copies were found.
“They accused me of having fake ballot papers and all effort to explain to them that it was dome copies felt on their deaf ears, as they insisted I follow them to their Headquarters in Lafia, which I did.
“They collected the dome ballot papers, our phones and some little money I had in my official car and took me, my driver and my Personal Assistant to their office.
“But, when they eventually took me to the office of the State Director of DSS and I explained to him and he was shown the papers.
“He directed that we should be release because they were not ballot
papers and does not belong to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC),” he concluded.
The council boss, however, used the medium and displayed the dummy copies before members of the press to see for themselves.
According to him, it is unfortunate that the public, including journalists believed the misinformation and spread it instead of
verifying to know the truth.
On the outcome of the governorship election in the state, the Chairman
congratulated Governor Abdullahi Sule on his re-election for another term.
He stated that the renewed mandate was owing to the developmental
strides of the governor in the last three years.
While calling on the residents to accept the outcome of the election, he added the re-election of governor Sule was will of God, urging those that lost out in the election to join hands with the governor-elect so as to move the state to the next level of
development.
Our correspondent reports that some section of the media reports not Apex News that the council boss was apprehended with the fake ballot
papers during the March 18, 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly
elections on his way to his village.
