The political atmosphere in Osun State has taken a tense turn ahead of the August 15 governorship election, after the Governor Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council accused the police of arresting the Accord Party’s House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency, Popoola Alaba, popularly known as Alabama.
The Campaign Council also alleged that three other Accord Party members were taken away during a meeting and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued by the Imole Campaign Council and signed by its Chairman of Media and Publicity Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
According to the Council, the arrests were politically motivated and intended to prevent the Accord candidate and other Party leaders from participating in political activities ahead of the election.
“The Imole Campaign Council hereby demands the immediate and unconditional release of Popoola Alaba popularly known as Alabama, the Ijesa South House of Representative Accord candidate,” the statement read.
The Council alleged that Alaba and three other Accord members were taken away by police officers during a meeting with Accord canvassers.
It claimed that officers led by one Wemimo, identified as a security detail attached to Senator Francis Fadahunsi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), invaded the venue and took the Party members to the headquarters of the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo.
“Alaba and three other Accord members were abducted this morning by a team of police officers led by one Wemimo, the security details of Senator Francis Fadahunsi of APC and whisked away to Headquarters of Osun State Police Command, Osogbo,” the Council alleged.
It further claimed that the officers forcefully took away the politicians and physically assaulted several Party members during the operation.
The Campaign Council also alleged that Senator Fadahunsi masterminded the arrest as part of an alleged plan to keep Alaba and other Accord leaders away from political activities until after the election.
“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,” the statement said.
The Council further claimed that the arrests were linked to a recent meeting allegedly involving Senator Fadahunsi, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Gotan, and another senior security official.
“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,” it alleged.
The Campaign Council warned that the Osun State Police Command and Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, would be held responsible if anything happened to the detained politician.
“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,” it said.
The Council also accused the Police Command of allegedly targeting its members while failing to adequately address political violence in the State.
It alleged that a member of the Accord Party, Yomi David Akanji, was shot dead by suspected political thugs near his home in Olude, Osogbo, on Friday night, July 24, 2026.
“While the Osun Police Command under Gotan is busy running political errands and hounding our members for no lawful reasons, we are disheartened to report that a member of the Accord, Mr. Yomi David Akanji was shot dead by suspected political thugs a few distance from his home in Olude, Osogbo, yesterday night,” the Council alleged.
According to the statement, Akanji was a father of three and was attacked while inside his car.
As of the time of filing the report, the Osun State Police Command had not issued an official response to the allegations.
The development comes amid growing apprehension in the State ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
