Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has called on Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tunji Disu to stop an alleged directive to arrest prominent leaders and stakeholders of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke made the call on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the Oke-Fia Government House in Osogbo, saying he had received information that the police had issued a signal for the immediate arrest of targeted Accord leaders.
According to the governor, those arrested would allegedly be taken to Abuja and detained until after the election.
Adeleke described the reported directive as “dangerous” and “illegal”, warning that any action capable of creating tension or chaos ahead of the poll should be stopped.
“I have spoken to the Inspector General of Police about the reported directive to arrest Accord Party leaders. But I am appealing to him that this development, if true, is illegal and presents Nigeria as a lawless country. Arresting Accord Party leaders on the eve of an election amounts to the police helping and assisting the APC to rig the election,” Adeleke said.
The governor also alleged that more than 62 Accord leaders remained in police detention without charges, describing the situation as inconsistent with democratic practice.
Adeleke demands Fadahunsi’s arrest
Adeleke also called for the arrest of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, over a viral video in which the lawmaker allegedly called for violence against members and supporters of the Accord Party in the Ijesa axis.
The governor said the allegation should be treated as a national security concern rather than partisan politics.
According to Adeleke, Fadahunsi allegedly called for the killing of Accord leaders, supporters and their families, including their wives and children, if the party’s leaders could not be found.
Adeleke said he had informed the IGP about the video and was assured that immediate action would be taken.
“This is now beyond politics. This is now a national security threat that requires the attention of Mr President through the Office of the National Security Adviser,” he said.
He urged the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest Fadahunsi over what he described as alleged incitement to genocide against people in Ijesaland and Osun State.
The governor also demanded an end to what he called the “illegal operations” of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), alleging that its operatives had been arresting Accord leaders across local government areas without justification.
The allegations concerning the police directive and Senator Fadahunsi were presented by Adeleke at the briefing and have not been independently established in the material provided.
