Fresh controversy has erupted ahead of the August 8 governorship election in Osun State following allegations of politically motivated arrests, triggering renewed concerns over the neutrality of security agencies and the credibility of the poll.
The latest controversy was sparked by the Imole Campaign Council of Governor Ademola Adeleke, which alleged that 86 members of the Accord Party had been arrested in the last few days and moved to detention facilities outside Osun State without any known charges.
The campaign claimed the development was aimed at intimidating supporters of the governor ahead of the election and urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and President Bola Tinubu to ensure that security agencies remain impartial throughout the electoral process.
Speaking with journalists after visiting the headquarters of the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja, the spokesperson for the campaign, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbasi, maintained that those arrested had committed no offence.
Olajengbasi alleged that 36 of the detainees had been transferred to the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Keffi, Nasarawa State, while another 14 were taken to the Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said: “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.
“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.”
He also claimed that the Secretary to the Osun State Government was arrested while carrying out voter sensitisation ahead of the governorship election.
According to him, the actions of the police were inconsistent with their constitutional responsibility to remain neutral during elections.
“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. We want a free, fair and credible election where people can freely exercise their democratic rights.”
Olajengbasi further alleged that some police officers attempted to persuade the detained supporters to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“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,” he alleged.
He warned that allowing the current Osun State Commissioner of Police to supervise security during the election could undermine confidence in the outcome of the poll.
“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.”
The campaign maintained that Nigerians and the international community would be closely watching the conduct of security agencies before, during and after the election, insisting that democratic institutions must not be used to intimidate political opponents.
However, when contacted on the allegations, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, said he had no knowledge of the reported arrests saying, “I am not aware. Let me check and get back to you.”