The police in Ondo have confirmed the arrest of Ariyo Ajiroba, a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and one other person, allegedly caught in a viral video producing fake membership cards of the party. 

Peoples Gazette had earlier reported how Mr Ajiroba was caught producing fake APC membership cards in a video clip circulated in the early hours of Wednesday.

Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the police public relations officer in Ondo, confirmed the arrest of Mr Ajiroba in a statement issued to reporters in Akure.

The development is coming a few days before the primary of the party scheduled for this Saturday. 

16 governorship aspirants of the party are jostling for the ticket. 

Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya said the police personnel from the Yaba divisional led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) visited the house of Mr Ajiroba and recovered some questionable items. 

She listed the items to include APC’s party registration booklets, passport photographs, and slips of the party’s registered form, among others. 

“On Wednesday, 17th April 2024, the Police received intel that one Mr Ariyo, a transporter in Ondo town, was registering APC Party members at his residence ahead of the party primaries slated for 20th of April 2024.

“Police personnel from Yaba Divisional Headquarters led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police visited the house and recovered the following items from the scene:

“a) APC party’s registration Booklets.
“b) List of names of purported party members of ward 7 Ondo. 
“c) 53 passport photographs of different individuals. 
“d) A jotter containing with names. 
“e) 2 exercise books with names and phone numbers of people.
“f) 2 slips of a registered form.

“Two suspects have been arrested and are assisting the Police with necessary information to apprehend others involved in this cynicism,” the police spokesperson said. 

While admonishing all political aspirants to caution their supporters whose acts can stir the hornet’s nest in the state, Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya said the state commissioner of police, Abayomi Oladipo, has already ordered a total clamp down on anyone planning to threaten the peace of the state. 

“The CP also ordered a total clamp down on incendiaries, no matter whose ox is gored, as the Command has spread its tentacles to all nooks and crannies of the State to ensure the safety of lives and property and peaceful conduct of the party primaries in the State,” she added in the statement.