Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has raised the alarm over an alleged police directive to arrest leaders of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Adeleke made the allegation during an emergency press briefing, where he addressed what he described as two major developments on the Osun political landscape.
According to the governor, credible reports indicated that a police signal had been issued directing the immediate arrest of Accord Party leaders and their transfer to Abuja, where they would allegedly be held until Monday.
Adeleke said he had spoken with the Inspector-General of Police over the reported directive, urging him to publicly clarify whether such an order had been issued.
He described any attempt to arrest Accord Party leaders on the eve of the election as illegal and a threat to democracy.
“Arresting Accord Party leaders on the eve of an election amounts to police helping and assisting the APC to rig the election,” Adeleke alleged.
The governor also claimed that more than 62 Accord Party members were currently being held in police detention without charges, describing the situation as unacceptable in a democratic society.
Adeleke further raised concerns over a viral video allegedly showing serving Senator Francis Fadahunsi calling for the killing of Accord Party leaders and their family members.
He described the alleged comments as going beyond politics and constituting a national security concern.
According to Adeleke, he had raised the matter with the Inspector-General of Police and demanded an immediate investigation and arrest of the senator. He added that the IGP had confirmed awareness of the video and assured him that action would be taken.
The governor also called on the police authorities to halt what he described as the “illegal operations” of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), alleging that members of the team had been arresting Accord Party leaders across local government areas without justification.
Adeleke equally urged the police and Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the alleged comments attributed to Senator Fadahunsi, stressing that security agencies must demonstrate their commitment to the rule of law.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to ensure due process, fair policing and the protection of democracy before, during and after the election.
The governor concluded by urging security agencies to act in accordance with the Constitution, the rule of law and their oath of office as Osun State prepares for the August 15 governorship election.
