African Democratic Congress, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of the Saturday, August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
ADC claimed to have received what it described as “credible reports” of plans to arrest the former Osun State governor in the days leading to the poll.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on X, said ADC was concerned that the alleged arrest could be aimed at disrupting the party’s election activities.
“Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports,” Abdullahi said.
Aregbesola, who served as governor of Osun State from 2010 to 2018 and later as Minister of the Interior, is currently the National Secretary of the ADC.
According to the party, there are established procedures that should be followed if any security agency has lawful reasons to question its national secretary.
“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so,” it said.
The ADC argued that arresting Aregbesola on the eve of an election in which the party is participating would raise questions about the motive behind such an action.
“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities,” the statement said.
ADC consequently put the Federal Government and security agencies on notice, urging them to avoid actions that could undermine the credibility of the election.
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun. Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now,” the statement added.
ADC also warned the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government against taking any action that could trigger political tension in the state.
“The APC Federal Government must be wary of doing anything that could plunge Osun State into needless crisis,” the party said.
The party further advised the government to respect democratic principles and ensure that political parties are allowed to participate freely in the election.
“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” the statement said.
