By Our Reporter
With the August 15 Osun State governorship election just weeks away, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign has alleged that the Osun State Police Command is acting in a partisan manner, and called on the United Kingdom, international observer missions, and civil society organisations to closely monitor the poll. The Imole Campaign Council (TICC), which is backing Adeleke’s re-election bid, said the election would be a critical test of Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday after submitting a petition to the British High Commission, the council’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, alleged that the Osun State Police Command had become compromised. “The coming election in Osun State is important to Nigeria and the entire world. It is a major test of the integrity of INEC, a major test of the integrity of the Inspector-General of Police and, beyond that, a major test of the integrity of our institutions to know if we are prepared enough to conduct free, fair and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general election,” he said.
Olajengbesi further alleged that the state Commissioner of Police was accused by the campaign of acting in a partisan manner and urged the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy him before the election. “We are very concerned because the police in Osun State are completely compromised. The current Commissioner of Police is acting in a partisan manner and working for a political party. This should not be happening in a country that prides itself on being a democracy,” he said.
He also alleged that recent killings and politically motivated attacks had not been properly investigated, while accusing the police of failing to act after some individuals allegedly took over motor parks to influence election logistics. “The Inspector-General of Police must ensure that neutral and professional police officers are deployed to Osun State to guarantee a credible election. This election will be monitored globally, and Nigeria’s democracy is under serious scrutiny,” he said.
The campaign council appealed to the Federal Government, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the international community to ensure that voters are allowed to freely elect candidates of their choice without intimidation. “We are not asking anyone to favour Governor Ademola Adeleke. We are simply asking that the election be conducted in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Act so that the people can freely choose their governor,” Olajengbesi added.
However, the Osun State Police Commissioner had not responded to these allegations as of the time of filing the report