The Accord Party candidates for the National and State Assemblies in Osun State, on Sunday, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in what they described as police harassment and intimidation of their members ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Bamidele Salam, the House of Representatives candidate for Ede Federal Constituency, at a press conference held in Osogbo, also demanded the immediate release of detained party members.
The candidates alleged that recent actions by the Osun State Police Command reflected a pattern of politically motivated arrests and harassment targeted at leaders and members of the Accord Party.
According to them, the latest incident involved the arrest of Popoola Ibrahim, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency, who they said had subsequently been moved to Abuja and the arrest of Sodiq Olaniyan, legal practitioner and Accord operative in Ward 4, Ido-Osun, Egbedore Local Government Area,
They alleged that the Police failed to disclose the identity of the petitioner behind the complaint against Ibrahim or state whether he had been invited to respond before he was arrested and transferred to Abuja.
They also alleged that Olaniyan was arrested after challenging what he considered the unlawful interference of an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The candidates said, “The Nigerian Police Force is constitutionally established to protect lives and property, uphold the rule of law and serve all citizens without fear or favour. Sadly, recent developments in Osun State portray a police command that appears increasingly willing to lend itself to partisan interests through frivolous arrests and trumped-up allegations targeted at prominent leaders of our party.
“We are reliably informed that our Senatorial candidate for Osun East Senatorial District, Hon Ibukun Fadipe, alongside several other leaders of our party, particularly within the Ijesa axis, have allegedly been marked for arrest in the coming days using the same questionable methods deployed against Ibrahim. If this is true, then democracy in Osun State is under serious threat.
“We understand the growing frustration within the APC arising from the unmistakable mood of the electorate and the increasing rejection of the party ahead of the elections. However, political frustration must never become an excuse for weaponising state institutions against law-abiding citizens.”
The candidates also urged President Tinubu to direct Olatunji Disu, the Inspector-General of Police, and other heads of security agencies to maintain neutrality, professionalism and regard for the rule of law before, during and after the August 15, 2026 Governorship election in Osun State.
They further called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Peace Committee, the media and other stakeholders to monitor developments in Osun State, maintaining that the Accord Party remained committed to peaceful, issue-based and democratic participation in the forthcoming elections.
