Tunde Adeleke, Osogbo
The Campaign Council of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has called for the release of Environment and Sanitation Commissioner, Mayowa Adejoorin, seeking the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu over the arrest.
The spokesperson of the council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, while addressing newsmen on Saturday said that no fewer than 62 members of the party members have been arrested.
He stressed that this was aimed at silencing and intimidating members of the Accord Party from participating in the coming election.
Olajengbesi futher alleged that the commissioner’s arrest was part of a broader pattern targeting prominent Accord leaders, particularly in Ijesaland, ahead of the election, urging the police authorities to disclose the offence for which Adejoorin was arrested and the evidence linking him to any alleged wrongdoing.
He said, “The latest victim of this alarming pattern is the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon Mayowa Adejoorin, a prominent native of Ikiyinwa in Obokun Local Government Area of the state.
“The manner of his arrest is particularly disturbing. We consider what happened to Hon Adejoorin nothing short of a bandit-line abduction carried out under the cover of police authority.
“For some time now, we have witnessed a disturbing pattern in which prominent Accord leaders and supporters in Ijesaland are picked up by the Police on allegations that are apparently motivated by sinister political calculations, kept away from their families, communities and campaign activities, and thereby removed from circulation at a critical period of the electoral process.”
He added that, “We are therefore deeply concerned that these arrests may be connected to an attempt to create an environment conducive to electoral manipulation in Ijesaland ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
“Let us be clear: you cannot remove our leaders from circulation and expect the people of Ijesaland to remain silent.
“You cannot arrest one leader today, another tomorrow, and another the next day, and ask us to believe that all these incidents are mere coincidences.
“We therefore call directly on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu, to urgently intervene in the situation in Osun State.”
When contacted, the Osun State Police command spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed the report, saying Asejoorin was arrested in connection with the shooting in Ilesha.
“Immediately the incident was reported, our personnel moved to the scene, cordoned off the area before some exhibit were recovered which included expanded cartridges, Amotekun personnel caps.
“Also, Mr Adejoorin was arrested the scene and has been taken to the command for questioning as part of the investigation process,” he added.
