The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The opposition party made the allegation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, who said the party had received what it described as “credible reports” suggesting that the former Osun State governor could be arrested before the poll.
ADC said the reported development was particularly troubling against the backdrop of what it described as a growing pattern of “intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions” against opposition parties.
The party, however, acknowledged that security agencies have the legal authority to invite Aregbesola if there are legitimate grounds to do so. It maintained that any such invitation should follow the appropriate legal procedures.
The statement partly read:
“Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports.”
“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so.”
“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities.”
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun.”
“Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now.”
“The APC Federal Government must be wary of doing anything that could plunge Osun State into needless crisis. Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday.”
