The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC had received “credible reports” of plans to arrest the former Osun State governor in the days leading up to the election.
The party said the alleged plan was particularly troubling against the backdrop of what it described as a pattern of “intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions” against opposition parties.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
Aregbesola served as governor of Osun State from 2010 to 2018 before becoming Minister of the Interior. He is currently the National Secretary of the ADC.
The party acknowledged that security agencies have the right to invite Aregbesola if they have lawful grounds to do so, but insisted that any such action must follow established procedures.
“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,” the statement said.
The ADC warned that arresting its national secretary on the eve of an election in which the party is participating would inevitably raise questions about the motive behind the action, particularly given his role in coordinating the party’s campaign and election activities.
“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,” it said.
The opposition party therefore urged the Federal Government and security agencies to avoid any action that could undermine the credibility of the election or heighten tensions in the state.
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi said.
“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 ADC also cautioned the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government against any action that could plunge Osun State into what it described as a needless crisis.
“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,” the party said.
