Members of the Accord Party in Osun State are demanding that President Bola Tinubu and Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu look into what they label as a targeted campaign of harassment by local law enforcement. Speaking for the party caucus, Representative Bamidele Salam highlighted the recent arrest of Ijesa South Federal Constituency candidate, Popoola Alaba, as a primary concern. Salam claims this detention is part of a broader, unjustified strategy aimed at intimidating party officials leading up to the August 15 governorship vote.
The lawmaker warned that these incidents suggest a concerning alliance between security forces and certain political figures. He argued that utilizing the police force for political agendas undermines democratic stability and peace in the region. Consequently, he has appealed to national authorities, international observers, and civil society groups to address what he terms a trend of systemic persecution. Salam explicitly requested that President Tinubu mandate the Inspector-General of Police to ensure security agencies remain neutral and uphold constitutional rights during the electoral period.
In response, the Osun State Police Command has rejected the accusation that the arrest of Alaba was politically driven. Police spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi clarified that the detention resulted from a formal petition filed with the office of the Inspector-General of Police. According to Ojelabi, the command is simply conducting an official investigation into the allegations raised in that petition, and the procedure is entirely separate from any political motivations.
