Osun State Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin
By John Dike, Osogbo
The police have confirmed the arrest of Osun State Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon. Mayowa Adejoorin, while the Accord Party accused security agencies of targeting its members
This came as preparations for the August 15 governorship election in the state heightened.
According to the State Police Command, Adejoorin was arrested in connection with an alleged disruption of a political rally in Ilesa, an action it said formed part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Addressing reporters in Osogbo, the command’s spokesmam, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said officers responded immediately after receiving distress reports from the scene.
He said police operatives secured the area and recovered several exhibits believed to be relevant to the investigation.
His words,”Immediately the incident was reported, our personnel moved to the scene, cordoned off the area and recovered some exhibits, including expended cartridges and Amotekun personnel caps.”
He disclosed that the commissioner was arrested at the scene and transported to the State Criminal Investigation Department for interrogation.
Ojelabi maintained that the command remained neutral in the political process and would investigate everyone connected with the incident regardless of political affiliation.
He assured residents that the investigation would be thorough and transparent, stressing that anyone found culpable would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
However, the arrest sparked outrage within the Accord Party.
Addressing a crowded press conference in Osogbo, the spokesperson of the Imole Campaign Council, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, described the arrest as politically motivated and accused security agencies of systematically targeting members of the ruling party.
He alleged that over 60 members of the Accord Party had been arrested across various parts of Osun State, particularly in Ijesaland, within the past few days.
According to him, the arrests aimed at weakening the party’s campaign machinery ahead of the governorship election.
He described the arrest of Commissioner Adejoorin as “nothing short of a bandit-like abduction carried out under the cover of police authority.”
The campaign spokesman alleged that several prominent Accord leaders had been taken into custody on what he called trumped-up allegations and deliberately kept away from their families and political activities at a critical period of the electioneering campaign.
He warned that the alleged pattern of arrests was capable of creating fear among supporters of the ruling party and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
Olajengbesi further accused unnamed political interests of attempting to use federal security institutions to suppress the Accord Party.
According to him, the development was particularly worrisome because it was occurring only days before voters would head to the polls.
“We consider these arrests as a dangerous development capable of threatening the credibility of the election,” he said.
“The Nigeria Police Force belongs to the Nigerian people. It does not belong to the APC. It does not belong to Accord. It does not belong to the PDP or to any political godfather. Its constitutional responsibility is to protect every Nigerian irrespective of political affiliation.”
He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Olatunji Disu, to immediately intervene and ensure that officers deployed to Osun conducted themselves professionally and impartially.
The Accord spokesman also demanded the immediate release of all party members allegedly arrested across the state.
In another allegation, the Accord Party accused the APC of importing individuals it described as election hackers into Osun State.
In a statement signed by the party’s State Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, the party alleged that the suspected operatives had established an operational base at GMT Hotel in Osogbo.
According to the statement, the individuals were allegedly brought from Lagos and Abuja with the intention of compromising the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electronic system during the governorship election.
The party claimed that the alleged hackers intended to infiltrate INEC’s digital platform and manipulate election results by uploading fake figures into the commission’s server.
Accord called on INEC to strengthen its cyber security infrastructure and review all digital safeguards ahead of the election.
It also urged security agencies to investigate the allegation and search the hotel as well as any other locations suspected of being used for activities capable of undermining democracy.
The party insisted that it remained confident of victory at the polls and warned that any attempt to manipulate the election would be resisted through lawful means.
Neither INEC nor security agencies had issued any official response to the allegation.
Meanwhile, the APC also accused members of the ruling party of attacking its supporters during a campaign activity in Ilesa.
Speaking during a separate media briefing, the spokesperson of the AMBO Campaign Organisation, Mr. Remi Omowaiye, alleged that APC members came under attack while carrying out a door-to-door campaign in the town.
He alleged that a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing Ibokun Constituency and some armed supporters opened fire during the incident.
According to Omowaiye, a young boy who was inside his mother’s shop was struck by a bullet and rushed to hospital for treatment.
He said several other persons also sustained injuries during the incident.
The APC campaign organisation condemned the alleged attack and called on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to ensure adequate protection for opposition supporters throughout the remaining days of the campaign.
Omowaiye further urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly and bring anyone found responsible to justice.
.
