The campaign organisation of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on the aegis of ‘Imole Campaign Council’, has accused the Nigeria Police of launching a crackdown on its members and supporters in the State.
The Council has therefore demanded the immediate release of 86 Accord Party members arrested and detained in Abuja and Keffi prisons in Nasarawa State.
The council particularly called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of importance, intervene to prevent what it described as a slide into political intimidation ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election, stressing that security agencies must remain impartial before, during and after the poll.
Spokesperson of the Accord Party Governorship Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who spoke to journalists after a visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headquarters in Abuja, condemned the arrests which he described as “unlawful and politically motivated”.
Olajengbesi specifically said that the Secretary to the Osun State Government was also arrested while sensitising residents on the forthcoming election.
In the words of Olajengbesi; “In the last two to three days, over 86 members of the Accord Party have been arrested for no reason. We met with the leadership of the police, but they could not provide any explanation. There is no petition against them and no offence has been committed”. Olajengbesi further said that the detainees were moved from Osun to Abuja by road and scattered across two correctional facilities with 36 taken to the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Keffi, Nasarawa State, while 14 others were moved to Kuje Custodial Centre in the FCT.
He further said; “These people have been taken from Osun to Abuja by road and detained unnecessarily. There is no single charge against them, no allegation and no explanation. This must not continue”.
Olajengbesi alleged that the arrests were specifically targeted against members of the Accord Party because of their support for Governor Adeleke’s re-election bid and refusal to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Olajengbesi; “The only reason they are being arrested is because they are members of the Accord Party supporting Governor Ademola Adeleke. Some officers even asked them if they were ready to join the APC. That is an embarrassment to Nigeria”.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police for the Osun State command, CP Ibrahim Gotan, declined to comment on the arrests, saying that he was not aware.
CP Gotan said; “I am not aware. Let me check and get back to you”.
The campaign council particularly accused CP Gotan of partisanship and abandoning his constitutional role, stressing that there is a need for the Nigerian Police Force to understand that it is a government institution and must not be reduced to a partisan tool during elections.
Olajengbesi said; “We want a free, fair and credible election where people can freely exercise their democratic rights. The Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu should as a matter of urgency, intervene and redeploy the Osun CP from election duties.
“If the Commissioner of Police is allowed to supervise security during this election, then the election is already compromised.
“The Inspector-General must ensure that the police remain neutral and perform their constitutional duty of protecting lives and property,” he stated.
“Nigeria’s democracy will come under global mockery if the Osun election is not free, fair, and credible. Democratic institutions must not be used to intimidate political opponents,” Olajengbesi warned.
