Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) executive in Ogun has called on the Inspector General of the Police (IGP), Mohammed Adam, to investigate an alleged bribery allegation against a Federal High Court judge in the state.
This was contained in a letter dated, June 4, 2020 and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the party, Samson Bamgbose and Adeleke Shittu respectively.
The two, in the letter, entitled, Call for Investigation into alleged $250,000 bribery in respect of Suit No: FHC/AB/CS/44/2020 –Bamgbose & ORS V PDP & ORS, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a petition written in respect of the suit by PDP Deputy National Chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi, that we bribed Justice Abubakar Shittu to do our bidding in the suit pending before the judge.”
The party chairman and secretary denied the allegation and called on the IGP to investigate the matter.
According to the duo, though they came across the petition on a social media platform, “as parties in the matter and those alleged to have ‘bought’ judgment, we are obliged to respond to the allegation even when it lacks merit and material fact.”
In the letter, which was copied to the chief judge of the Federal High Court, the PDP chiefs claimed that the allegation against the judge was as a result of his refusal to be compromised by those accusing him of taking bribe.
“It is clear that Justice Shittu became a marked person since they could not compromise him in 2019. Hence, the resort to cheap blackmail, outright fabrications and lies,” they said.
While stressing the need for the IGP to institute a probe of the allegation, they said: “We believe this is the way to go to serve as a test case and deterrence to those in the habit of making false and unsubstantiated allegations against law-abiding citizens and public officials, including members of the Nigeria Police because they believe that nothing will happen.”