The Governor Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council has alleged that some police officers “abducted” the Accord Party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency, Popoola Alaba, popularly known as Alabama, along with three other party members, demanding their immediate and unconditional release.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued by the Imole Campaign Council and signed by the Chairman of its Media and Publicity Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam.
According to the council, the police action was politically motivated and aimed at preventing the Accord Party leaders from participating in activities ahead of the election.
The statement read: “The Imole Campaign Council hereby demands the immediate and unconditional release of Popoola Alaba popularly known as Alabama, the Ijesa South House of Representative Accord candidate.”
The council alleged that Alaba and three other members of the Accord Party were taken away by police officers during a meeting.
“Alaba and three other Accord members were abducted this morning by a team of Police officers led by one Wemimo, the security details of Senator Francis Fadahunsi of APC and whisked away to Headquarters of Osun State Police Command, Osogbo.
“At the time of their arrest, Alaba and others were in a meeting with Accord canvassers when suddenly policemen invaded the premises and forcefully took them while also physically assaulting many party members.”
The campaign council further alleged that the operation was orchestrated by Senator Francis Fadahunsi with the intention of keeping the Accord candidate and other party leaders away from the political process until after the election.
According to the statement, “Information available to us indicates that the arrest was masterminded by Senator Fadahunsi whose intention it is to keep Alaba and several other Accord leaders out of circulation till after elections.”
The council also claimed to have intelligence suggesting that the arrests were discussed at a meeting involving the Osun State Commissioner of Police and another senior security official.
It stated: “Credible intelligence at our disposal indicated that the arrest of Alaba is one of the outcome of a recent secret meeting between Senator Fadahunsi, the Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Gotan, and another top security officer in the state, where leaders of Accord were drafted for arrest and detained unlawfully.”
The campaign council warned that the Osun State Police Command and the Commissioner of Police would be held responsible should any harm come to the detained politician.
It said: “We wish to put on record that Osun state Police Command and its Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan, will be held accountable and responsible if anything untoward happens to Alaba.”
The council further accused the police command of targeting its members while allegedly failing to address political violence in the state.
It added: “While the Osun Police Command under Gotan is busy running political errands and hounding our members for no lawful reasons, we are disheartened to report that a member of the Accord, Mr. Yomi David Akanji was shot dead by suspected political thugs a few distance from his home in Olude, Osogbo, yesterday night. The father of three was waylaid by the assailant and he was unable to escape from them as they shot him in his car.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Police Command had not issued any official response to the allegations contained in the statement.
There has been apprehension ahead of the Osun State gubernatorial elections scheduled for August 15, 2026.
