TheCable

Abideen Oyegbade, an indigene of Osun state, has denied writing a petition against Olalekan Raheem, a resident electoral commissioner (REC) nominee from the state.

When he appeared before the senate committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for screening last week, Raheem was under fire over the petition that he is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He had told the committee that he was a former member of the ruling party, saying: “I don’t have any sympathy for any political party again.”

However, in a letter dated November 12 addressed to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Oyegbade alleged that some unnamed “unscrupulous individuals” who used his address and forged his signature were behind the petition.

He said he did not author or submit any petition against anyone.

“My attention has been drawn to a fake petition dated 31.10. 2019 submitted by some unscrupulous individuals in my name against the person of one Mr. Raheem Muideen Olalekan a.k.a. Kosemoni,” the letter seen my TheCable read.

“To my utmost surprise, the writers of the fake petition attributed it to my residential address in Ikire, Osun state, and put a fake signature purportedly belonging to me.

“This is to issue a disclaimer against the said petition as I did not author any such petition and neither did I submit any petition against anyone. I have been seriously disturbed by this fake petition as I did not at any time write or submit any petition against anybody.

“It is in this light that l have deposed to the affidavit herein attached and hereby plead that you look into this matter with a view to doing justice in this case.”

A copy of the affidavit that Oyegbade deposed was also seen by TheCable.