Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has condemned the arrest of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sunday Bisi, describing it as an alleged attempt to intimidate political supporters and undermine the democratic process.
Bisi was reportedly arrested at his residence in Ilesa shortly after casting his vote in Saturday’s governorship election.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke alleged that the PDP chairman was taken away by security operatives without being informed of the reason for his arrest.
The Governor described the incident as an abuse of law enforcement and an attack on the freedom of voters and political actors to participate in the electoral process.
“The arrest of Hon. Bisi is nothing but political. Election should be about the people freely giving their mandates to the person of their choice without threat or force,” Adeleke said.
The Governor further alleged that the arrest was part of a broader plan to restrict his supporters from monitoring the collation of election results across the state.
“This latest sweep on my supporters 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 a serious threat to democracy and called on all those involved to desist from using state institutions to interfere with the electoral process.
“This is the biggest assault on democracy, and I urge everyone involved in this desperate attempt to upturn the will of our people through the use of state institutions,” the Governor said.
He consequently demanded the immediate release of Bisi and other political detainees allegedly arrested across Osun State.
“I am calling for the immediate release of Hon. Bisi and other political prisoners across Osun State,” Adeleke said.
The Governor’s statement came collation process continued across Osun State in the governorship election.
