Adeleke condemns arrest of Osun PDP Chairman, demands immediate release
By Taiwo Scholastica
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, 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 the ongoing governorship election.
The governor described the arrest as an attempt to intimidate political supporters and interfere with the democratic process, calling for Bisi’s immediate release.
According to a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Bisi was reportedly arrested at his residence in Ilesa after returning from the polling unit where he had exercised his franchise.
“Information reaching me indicates that Hon. Bisi was accosted in his home in Ilesa shortly after he returned from voting, and whisked away to a yet-to-be-known location,” the statement said.
The governor expressed concern that the reason for the PDP chairman’s arrest had not been disclosed, alleging that the development could hinder the party’s ability to monitor the collation of election results across the state.
Adeleke further alleged that the arrest was part of a wider plan to prevent his supporters from monitoring results at various collation centres.
“This latest sweep on my supporters, I have authoritatively learned, is part of a broader plan to give the APC unhindered access to change results at collation centres and overturn our wins at the polls,” he said.
He described the situation as a serious threat to democracy and urged all parties involved to respect the will of the voters who participated in the election.
The governor also called for the release of what he described as political prisoners across Osun State, stressing that elections should be conducted without intimidation or coercion.
“Elections should be about the people freely giving their mandate to the person of their choice without threats or force,” Adeleke stated.
The governor’s statement comes as voting and other electoral activities continue across Osun, with political parties and their agents monitoring the process at polling units and collation centres.
Adeleke urged residents and supporters to remain calm while calling on security agencies to act professionally and ensure the protection of citizens’ and political actors’ rights.
He maintained that the outcome of the election should reflect the votes freely cast by the people rather than being influenced by intimidation or the misuse of state institutions.
The statement added that the governor demanded the immediate release of Bisi and other individuals allegedly detained for political reasons, warning that their continued detention could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The allegations contained in the governor’s statement could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
The statement also did not identify the security agency responsible for Bisi’s reported arrest or provide details regarding where he was taken.