By John Dike, Osogbo
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has condemned the reported arrest of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sunday Bisi, shortly after he cast his vote in Saturday’s governorship election, describing the incident as an attack on democracy.
Adeleke, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, alleged that Bisi was arrested at his residence in Ilesa after returning from the polling unit where he voted.
According to the governor, Bisi was allegedly taken away by security operatives to an undisclosed location, while no reason had been given for his arrest as of the time of the statement.
The governor described the arrest as “barbaric” and a “vicious attack on free will,” alleging that the development was part of a broader attempt to intimidate his supporters and prevent them from monitoring the collation of results.
Adeleke further alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was working with compromised security agents to restrict opposition supporters from gaining access to collation centres.
He said, “Information reaching me indicates that Hon. Bisi was accosted in his home in Ilesa shortly after he returned after voting, and whisked him away to yet to be known location.
“Up till this moment, no one has been availed the reason for his arrest, which indicates that the APC is working in cohort with compromised security agents to keep people away from monitoring results at the various collation centres.
The governor also alleged that the reported arrest was part of what he described as a wider plan to give the APC unhindered access to manipulate results at collation centres.
“This latest sweep on my supporters, I have authoritatively learnt, is part of a broader plan to give the APC unhindered access to change results at collation centres and upturn our wins at the poll,” he alleged.
Adeleke described the development as “the biggest assault on democracy” and called on all those involved to desist from actions capable of undermining the outcome of the election.
He demanded the immediate release of Bisi and other persons he described as political prisoners across the state.
According to him, the essence of an election was to allow citizens freely give their mandate to candidates of their choice without intimidation, coercion or force.
“Election should be about the people freely giving their mandates to the person of their choice without threat or force,” Adeleke said.
