OSUN POLL: ADELEKE CAMPAIGN COUNCIL ALLEGES POLICE ARRESTED ACCORD REPS CANDIDATE ON APC SENATOR’S ORDERS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has accused All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Francis Fadahunsi and the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of orchestrating what it described as the politically motivated arrest of the Accord Party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency, Popoola Alaba, popularly known as Alabama.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the council alleged that Alaba and three other Accord Party members were arrested while meeting with party canvassers by police officers led by Wemimo, whom it identified as a security aide attached to Senator Fadahunsi.
According to the campaign council, the officers allegedly stormed the meeting venue, assaulted several party members, and forcibly took Alaba and the others to the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo.
TICC claimed the arrests were part of a calculated attempt to keep key Accord Party leaders “out of circulation” until after the Osun State governorship election.
The council further alleged that the operation followed a private meeting involving Senator Fadahunsi, Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan, and another senior security official, during which, it claimed, plans were made to arrest and unlawfully detain Accord Party leaders. However, the council did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
It also accused the Osun State Police Command of abandoning its constitutional duty by allegedly taking sides in the political contest.
“We wish to put on record that the Osun State Police Command and its Commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, will be held responsible if anything untoward happens to Popoola Alaba,” the statement read.
The campaign council further linked the alleged arrest to what it described as a broader campaign of intimidation against opposition members, alleging that security agencies had failed to respond effectively to attacks on Accord Party supporters.
It cited the killing of an Accord Party member, Yomi David Akanji, who it alleged was shot dead by suspected political thugs near his residence in Olude, Osogbo, on Friday night. According to the statement, Akanji, a father of three, was ambushed and killed while inside his vehicle.
TICC called for the immediate and unconditional release of Alaba and the other detained party members, urging security agencies to remain impartial and avoid actions that could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
The statement was signed by Rep. Bamidele Salam, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, dismissed the allegations, saying Alaba was arrested following a petition dated July 4 bordering on illegal mining and other offences.
Ojelabi also said four people arrested with Alaba attacked police operatives in a bid to free the suspect and damaged a police van during the incident.
“He (Alaba) was arrested due to a petition written against him dated July 4. The petition was written to the Inspector General of Police, and it was sent to the command. A team from Abuja was joined by our operatives from the command. Four people arrested with Alaba attacked our operatives while trying to free the suspect. They also damaged a police vehicle,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Senator Francis Fadahunsi’s Media Adviser, Sam Segun-Progress, dismissed the claims as baseless and insisted that the lawmaker had no involvement in the arrest of Accord Party House of Representatives candidate, Popoola Alaba.
Segun-Progress said Senator Fadahunsi should not be linked to a matter involving the police, stressing that it had no connection whatsoever to the senator or his official responsibilities.
He described the allegations as “unfortunate, reckless and completely devoid of credible evidence,” maintaining that no proof had been presented to support the claims against his principal.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Francis Fadahunsi has absolutely nothing to do with the allegations contained in the statement,” he said.
He further accused the Imole Campaign Council of attempting to damage the senator’s reputation through unsubstantiated claims.
“Attempting to drag his name into an issue without presenting a shred of verifiable evidence is unfair, irresponsible and a desperate attempt to tarnish the reputation of a man who has earned the respect of many through decades of dedicated public service,” Segun-Progress added.
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