Barely two weeks to the August 15 Osun State governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign team, the Imole Campaign Council, on Monday, submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission, alleging extensive human rights abuses, politically motivated arrests and misuse of police authority.
The Governor’s campaign council had urged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to maintain impartiality before, during and after the election.
It also urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that security agencies are not used as tools to intimidate opposition during the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
Addressing newsmen shortly after submitting their petition at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Pelumi Olajengbesi, the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, accused the police of specifically targeting the governor’s supporters in the run-up to the August 15 election.
Olajengbesi stated that numerous campaign supporters have been arrested and held in police custody across the nation without any lawful grounds.
He said, “This morning, we approached the National Human Rights Commission to formally highlight what we perceive as a reckless violation of human rights occurring in Osun State, simply due to the impending election.
“We seek assurance from the Inspector-General of Police to the Nigerian populace, particularly the residents of Osun State, that the governorship election on August 15 will be conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner, and that the Nigeria Police Force possesses the capability to ensure security impartially.”
He further alleged that in response to public outcry regarding what he termed arbitrary arrests of opposition supporters, the police authorities initially reassigned the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Gotan, which resulted in the release of 26 detained campaign members.
He alleged that the transferred police commissioner has since been reinstated in the state following alleged pressure exerted on the IGP.
“We were informed that following the transfer of the Commissioner of Police, he was sent back to Osun State due to threats made against the Inspector-General of Police. If this is accurate, it raises significant concerns regarding the autonomy of the police leadership,” he said.
Olajengbesi asserted that there are currently two commissioners functioning in Osun State, one responsible for election security and the other for administrative duties, a situation he characterised as perplexing and potentially damaging to public trust in the electoral process.
The ICC campaign spokesperson further alleged that one of their members, Popoola Alaba, commonly referred to as Alabama, the Accord candidate for the Ijesa South House of Representatives, was unlawfully apprehended while campaigning in Osogbo and later transferred to Abuja.
He stated that the politician is presently being held based on a detention order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Dutse, Abuja, concerning accusations of armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.
Olajengbesi, however, maintained that no incriminating evidence was found on the politician at the time of his arrest.
“We visited the police facility where he is being held and were told that nothing was discovered on him during the arrest. Nevertheless, an ex parte detention order was secured from a magistrate court without any evidence linking him to the alleged crimes.
“If he has committed any crime, the police should promptly charge him before a competent court. They cannot continue to detain an innocent individual indefinitely under dubious circumstances,” he stated.
He accused the police of manipulating the criminal justice system to intimidate political adversaries, labeling this situation as a perilous precedent that could threaten democracy.
In its appeal to the NHRC for an investigation into the allegations, the campaign council urged the commission to take immediate action to protect the rights of citizens and political participants involved in the election.
Olajengbesi also urged President Tinubu to ensure that federal institutions maintain neutrality throughout the electoral process.
He stated, “The President must prevent the Nigeria Police Force or any governmental body from becoming a tool of oppression. Every Nigerian, irrespective of their political affiliation, is entitled to legal protection.
“The events in Osun on August 15 will serve as a litmus test for Nigeria’s democracy. Security agencies must foster confidence rather than instill fear.”
Responding to inquiries regarding recent comments made by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who claimed that Osun was a “must-win” state for the ruling party, Olajengbesi asserted that the election’s outcome should be determined exclusively by the voters.
“The citizens of Osun will choose their leader through their votes. Democracy is fundamentally about the people’s will, not political assertions. We are confident that Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the preferred choice of the majority in Osun,” he said.
