By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — Accord on Thursday accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Osun State Police Command of using intimidation to undermine the August 15 governorship election, claiming that about 100 of its leaders, candidates and supporters had been arrested in what it described as a politically motivated crackdown aimed at weakening its campaign.
Insisting it would not be cowed, the party declared: “No brute force will break the resolve of the people of Osun from identifying with Accord and its candidate in the upcoming gubernatorial poll. In the end, the ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
In a statement by its National Chairman, Barr. Maxwell Mgbudem, Accord alleged that some of those arrested had been transferred to Abuja, saying the action was intended to frustrate, weaken and dampen the party’s campaign across the state.
The party said campaigning for the August 15 poll had become increasingly difficult, alleging that arrests, intimidation and police actions were replacing the level playing field expected in a democratic contest. It renewed its demand for the removal of Osun State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan, insisting that only a change in the police leadership could guarantee a credible election.
“As at today, about 100 Accord leaders, candidates, members and supporters across the state have been arrested and detained by the Police, some of them were moved to Abuja. It is glaring that their arrests are politically motivated, to frustrate, weaken and dampen our party’s campaign efforts in Osun State,” Mgbudem said.
The party also cited what it described as the police invasion of the residences of six commissioners and the Secretary to the State Government, as well as the failure of security agencies to arrest those allegedly responsible for earlier attacks on its campaign offices, supporters and billboards, as further evidence that the command had abandoned neutrality.
“It is obvious that the Osun State Police operatives are partisan in this election, giving credence to the APC national leaders’ boasting of state capture by deploying federal might,” the party said.
Accord called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, civil society organisations and the international community to intervene, while reiterating its demand for the removal of the Osun Commissioner of Police before the election.
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