Political Crisis Deepens: Over 60 Osun Accord Party Members Detained Ahead of 2026 Elections

The political atmosphere in Osun State has become significantly charged leading up to the August 15 off-cycle governorship election, marked by allegations of widespread arrests and intimidation. The Imole Campaign Council, the official campaign organization for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election under the Accord Party, has publicly stated that over 60 of its leaders and members are currently being held in police detention. The campaign council vehemently describes these arrests as illegal and has issued a strong call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained party members.

This demand was formalized in a statement released on Saturday by Bamidele Sallam, the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee for the Imole Campaign Council. Mr. Sallam, who also represents the Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, appealed directly to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, urging his intervention to secure the release of the detained supporters. Among those allegedly held is an Accord candidate for the House of Representatives for Ijesa South, identified as Hon. Alaba. The campaign council emphasized that such actions are crucial for upholding democratic principles, adhering to the IGP's own directives to police officers, and complying with the presidential mandate for a free and fair election in Osun State.

The recent call for intervention follows previous efforts by the campaign council to address these concerns. Just five days prior, the organization had submitted a formal petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja, reiterating their demand for the unconditional release of Governor Adeleke's supporters. Pelumi Olajengbesi, the campaign spokesperson, informed journalists after submitting the petition that the police in Osun State were actively intimidating the governor's supporters ahead of the critical election. He accused law enforcement of unlawfully arresting and detaining several individuals without justifiable cause and implored the NHRC to facilitate justice for those affected. Additionally, the Imole Campaign Council had also escalated their grievances to President Bola Tinubu, reporting the alleged intimidation tactics against their supporters.

Beyond the arrests, Osun State has witnessed a sharp increase in political rivalry and violent clashes in recent weeks. A notable incident involved members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), widely believed to be affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC), forcibly taking control of motor parks across the state. This move displaced officials previously installed by the state government, leading to violent confrontations between rival groups. These clashes reportedly resulted in injuries to several individuals, including innocent passers-by who were caught in the crossfire.

Further exacerbating the tension, police operatives conducted a raid on the Osogbo residence of Teslim Igbalaye, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Mr. Igbalaye and five others were arrested on suspicion of vote-buying. During the raid, police claimed to have recovered N4.8 million in cash, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopying machine, a printer, two voter cards, and a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15 in the Osogbo Local Government Area. The SSG was subsequently released after interventions from the state government and the Osun House of Assembly.

In a related development concerning election security, the police deployed a new Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, to the state last Friday. This deployment came after months of persistent demands from the state government for the removal of the former commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan. The state government had accused Mr. Gotan of partisanship and favoring one political party in his handling of election-related security matters. Despite these accusations, the police have consistently denied any allegations of bias or partisanship.

These various developments have collectively intensified political tension, making the Osun governorship election one of the most closely observed contests in the South-west region in recent years. Historically, Osun's political landscape has been dominated by two primary parties. However, the upcoming election sees a significant shift with the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a viable third force, reshaping traditional political dynamics. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 13 political parties to participate – even after the withdrawal of APGA candidate Adeshina Adeyemi-Doro – the main competition is anticipated to be a three-way race. The key contenders are Governor Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, and Najeem Salaam of the ADC. These three camps are expected to dominate the race due to their well-established political structures, financial strength, grassroots mobilization capabilities, endorsements from elites, and considerable statewide visibility.