Accord candidates allege police harassment, demand release of detained members ahead of Osun poll

By Sunday Oguntuyi, Osogbo

Candidates of the Accord Party for the National Assembly and Osun State House of Assembly elections have accused the Nigeria Police Force, Osun State Command, of carrying out politically motivated arrests and intimidation of the party’s leaders and supporters ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, the Accord Party’s candidate for Ede Federal Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Salam, who spoke on behalf of the party’s National and State Assembly candidates, alleged that the police had abandoned neutrality by targeting members of the party through what he described as “frivolous arrests and fabricated allegations.”

Salam expressed concern over the arrest of the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency, Mr Popoola Alaba, who he said was transferred to Abuja shortly after being taken into custody.

According to him, the party initially refrained from making public comments on the matter, believing the police might have legitimate reasons for the investigation. However, he said the statement issued by the Osun State Police Command failed to provide sufficient details, particularly regarding the identity of the petitioner or whether Alaba had been formally invited for questioning before his arrest.

The party questioned the procedure adopted by the police, asking whether due process had been abandoned whenever members of the Accord Party were involved.

Salam also condemned the arrest of Barrister Olaniyan Sodiq, a legal practitioner and Accord Party operative in Ward 4, Ido-Osun, Egbedore Local Government Area.

He alleged that Sodiq was arrested after challenging what he believed to be unlawful interference by an APC leader in the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

According to Salam, rather than investigating the alleged interference in the electoral process, security operatives detained the individual who reported the incident, describing the action as an attack on civic responsibility.

He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the lawyer.

The Accord candidates further claimed they had received intelligence indicating plans to arrest more party leaders across the state, particularly in the Ijesa axis.

Salam alleged that the party’s Osun East Senatorial candidate, Hon. Ibukun Fadipe, and several other leaders had been marked for arrest using similar methods.

While acknowledging that the allegations required urgent attention, he maintained that intimidation would not weaken the party’s resolve or diminish what he described as its growing support across Osun State.

Salam also alleged that there were plans to target leaders of organised labour in the state, warning that any attempt to suppress labour unions would amount to an attack on democratic freedoms.

The Accord candidates called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, to ensure that officers deployed to Osun remain professional, impartial and guided by the Constitution throughout the election period.

They also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct all security agencies to maintain neutrality before, during and after the governorship election.

In addition, the party urged the Inspector-General of Police to investigate allegations of collaboration between the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Gotan, and Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi in what it described as an alleged campaign of intimidation against Accord Party leaders.

The candidates further called for an independent investigation into allegations of the importation of thugs and unauthorised security personnel into Ijesaland.

They appealed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the National Peace Committee, civil society organisations and the media to closely monitor developments in Osun State and help safeguard democratic rights.

Reaffirming the party’s commitment to peaceful political participation, Salam said the Accord Party would continue to pursue its electoral activities through lawful and democratic means.

He urged security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to ensure that the constitutional rights of all political parties and citizens are protected as Osun State prepares for the August 15 governorship election.