The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said it had received what it described as “credible reports” of plans to arrest the former governor in the days leading to the election.
Abdullahi said the alleged move was troubling, particularly against the backdrop of what the party described as increasing intimidation and harassment of opposition figures.
“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,” he said.
Aregbesola, who governed Osun from 2010 to 2018 and later served as Minister of the Interior, is currently the National Secretary of the ADC.
The party said security agencies had established procedures for inviting individuals for questioning where there were legitimate grounds to do so.
It argued that arresting Aregbesola shortly before an election in which the ADC is participating could disrupt the party’s campaign and election-day coordination.
“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 party said.
The ADC urged the Federal Government and security agencies to avoid any action capable of undermining the credibility of the election or escalating political tensions in the state.
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi said, urging authorities to ensure that all political parties were allowed to participate freely in the electoral process.
The party also warned the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government against actions it said could plunge Osun into a crisis ahead of the poll.
“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” the ADC said.
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