Court Remands APC Chieftain For Vote Buying In Lagos

Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has remanded a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Wahab Hammed, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he pleaded guilty to buying votes during the 2023 general elections.

The politician is to remain in the custody of the EFCC till December 7, 2023, when the anti-graft agency will review the facts of the case and the judge will hand down his sentence.

The commission had arraigned the defendant before the court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and bribery.

The charge was translated into the Yoruba language as the defendant claimed that he could not speak the English language or pidgin.

The EFCC prosecutor, Samuel Daji, had earlier informed the court that the convict had conspired with one Segun Ijitola (still at large) on February 25, 2023, to buy votes during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Daji said the defendant committed the offence at Unit 28, Gbaja Girls Junior High School, in Surulere.

He maintained that the offences violated the provision of sections 121 (1) and (5), 121 (1), and 1 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The prosecutor, however, urged the court to adjourn the matter to December 7 to enable the commission to review the facts of the case.

The defence counsel, Olabiyi Ademola,  prayed the court to remand the defendant in the custody of anti-graft agency since the matter would be called on tomorrow (Thursday).