Barely two weeks before the 15 August governorship election in Osun State, the Accord Party has petitioned President Bola Tinubu, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu and others over what it described as the police’s pattern of intimidation and politically motivated arrests targeting its members.
The party also renewed its call for the immediate removal of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, over alleged partisanship, saying his continued tenure could undermine the credibility of the forthcoming governorship election.
The petition comes after months of heightened tension between the ruling party and the police, including the controversial raid on the residence of Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye, the arrest of party officials and sustained demands by the party and civil society groups for the redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Accord’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, alleged that police actions in recent weeks had disproportionately targeted the party ahead of the governorship election.
According to him, about 100 party leaders, candidates, members and supporters have been arrested across the state, with some allegedly transferred to Abuja for investigation.
