Osun Election: We’re attacked because we rejected N14mn bribe – DSS

Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson of the DSS

The Department of State Service (DSS) said on Tuesday that an unnamed political party offered its men N14 million which was rejected during the just concluded Osun State gubernatorial election won by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of All Progressives Congress, APC. Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson for the DSS who revealed this at the routine briefing of National Information Centre in Abuja said the rejection of the N14 million was at the root of criticisms of the actions of the DSS officials who participated in the Osun election by the unnamed political party.

Ogar, who asked politicians not to drag the security forces into politics added that officials of the service could not be induced with money. “The director that was in charge of election duty for the DSS was asked to come and collect N4 million for himself and N10 million for the men, but the offer was declined and that is the offence that the DSS has committed.

“The rejection of the money is bringing up a lot of misunderstanding between political parties and the DSS, it is unfortunate.”The DSS spokesperson added that officials of DSS are well paid and have no need for any form of inducement from any politician.

She added that N200 million was provided for the agency’s less than one week operations to the gubernatorial election in Osun. “We are well paid, I will say it categorically, our operations are well funded, N14 million as against N200m that was spent, which one will you go for. “People should stop using money to entice security forces. The federal government and the people of Nigeria who have engaged us have the capability of taking care of us,” Ogar said while noting that the presence of DSS officials on ground helped to prevent attack of some traditional rulers during the election.

“We thank God that APC won the election in Osun State. There was no bomb blast because there was enough security presence on ground. “The security forces that assisted in the election in Edo State were the same ones that went to Ondo, Anambra and Ekiti,” she said.