Adeleke campaign council, police clash over Reps candidate’s arrest
July 26, 2026 1:04 am
File photo: Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke
The Imole Campaign Council and the Osun State Police Command on Saturday disagreed over the arrest of the Accord Party candidate for Ijesa South House of Representatives, Popoola Alaba.
The council, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Bamidele Salam, demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of Alaba.
It alleged that Alaba and three other Accord Party members were abducted on Saturday by a team of police officers led by one Wemimo, said to be the security details of the senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi.
According to the council, Alaba and others were arrested while meeting with Accord Party canvassers, alleging that the policemen forcefully took them away.
The council said Alaba was whisked away to the headquarters of Osun State Police Command, Osogbo, thereafter.
It also accused the police of assaulting several party members.
“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.
“Credible intelligence at our disposal indicated that the arrest of Alaba is one of the outcomes 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.
“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 added.
The council also accused the police of running political errands and hounding members of the Accord Party, alleging that a member of the party, Yomi Akanji, was shot dead by suspected political thugs close to his home in the Olude area of Osogbo on Friday evening.
“The father of three was waylaid by the assailants, and he was unable to escape from them as they shot him in his car,” the council said.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, dismissed the allegations, saying Alaba was arrested following a petition dated July 4 bordering on illegal mining and other offences.
Ojelabi also said four people arrested with Alaba attacked police operatives in a bid to free the suspect and damaged a police van during the incident.
“He (Alaba) was arrested due to a petition written against him dated July 4. The petition was written to the Inspector General of Police, and it was sent to the command. A team from Abuja was joined by our operatives from the command. Four people arrested with Alaba attacked our operatives while trying to free the suspect. They also damaged a police vehicle,” he said.
When contacted, the Media Adviser to Fadahunsi, Sam Segun-Progress, dismissed the allegations against the lawmaker, saying his principal should not be dragged into the matter involving Alaba and the police because it was completely unrelated to him and his present assignment.
Segun-Progress said, “We consider the statement to be unfortunate, reckless and completely devoid of credible evidence. For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Francis Fadahunsi has absolutely nothing to do with the allegations contained in the statement.
“Attempting to drag his name into an issue without presenting a shred of verifiable evidence is unfair, irresponsible and a desperate attempt to tarnish the reputation of a man who has earned the respect of many through decades of dedicated public service.”
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