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The campaign council of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has decried the arrest of 86 Accord Party members by the police.
In a Thursday statement signed by its Spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq., the Imole Campaign Council blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun for the arrests, saying the party is sending a clear message that it prefers intimidation to competition.
This comes as the Osun State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, and five other individuals following an operation carried out at a property associated with the government official in Osogbo.
Other arrested persons were identified by police as Akande Taiwo, 60; Oladele Abiodun, 38; Adeyemo Lukman, 45; Olaoye Muftau, 50; and Aderemi Musliu, 40.
The police said the operation was launched after intelligence reports indicated that suspected members of a criminal gang were hiding within the Oroki Estate area of the state capital.
In its statement, the Imole Campaign Council said the police were conniving with the APC to intimidate and harass the Accord Party and cripple its grassroots structure.
The statement reads, “The Imole Campaign Council condemns in the strongest terms the arrest and unlawful detention of over 86 Accord Party members across the State by operatives acting in collaboration with the APC and the Osun State Police Command.
“Our findings show that those arrested are party stakeholders, ward coordinators, polling unit agents, and volunteers. They were engaged in peaceful voter sensitisation, sharing our party’s manifesto, and highlighting the track record of our gubernatorial candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke. They were all arrested without warrants, while others were assaulted and subjected to degrading treatment.
“This coordinated operation is clearly aimed at crippling our grassroots structure and preventing our canvassers from engaging voters ahead of the election. The plot has failed. The people of Osun have taken ownership of this campaign, and they remain the greatest canvassers for Governor Ademola Adeleke.”
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The council said Osun APC claims to be popular and loved by the people, yet has orchestrated the arrest of over 86 citizens, through the support of the police, simply because they support the Accord Party and the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“This is not the conduct of a party confident of victory. It is the conduct of a party terrified of defeat,” the council stated.
It called on the Nigeria Police Force, and specifically the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, to uphold the law and respect the rights of all citizens.
It noted that the Constitution guarantees freedom of association, freedom of movement, and the right to participate in the political process, adding that these rights could not be suspended in the interest of partisan politics.
“By resorting to arrests instead of democratic engagement, the Osun APC is sending a clear message that it prefers intimidation to competition. The people of Osun, and indeed all Nigerians, must reject this dangerous slide into authoritarian politics.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, international election observers, and civil society organisations to intervene, take note of these developments, monitor the situation closely, and ensure the safety of citizens exercising their democratic rights.
‘Let it be clear, fear cannot win an election. The more the APC seeks to suppress the people, the more determined the people become. The Accord Party remains committed to issue-based campaigns, peaceful mobilisation, and respect for the sovereign will of the people,” the Imole Campaign Council stressed.
The campaign council urged all party members to remain calm, law-abiding, and steadfast, emphasising that no amount of intimidation or unlawful arrests would stop the people of Osun from voting for Adeleke, whom it says represents credible leadership, good governance, and the future of the state.
