By From Timothy Agbor (Osogbo) and Waliat Musa (Lagos)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, yesterday, accused the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, of indiscriminate statewide arrest of its leaders to pave way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the March 18, 2023 House of Assembly election in the state.
The party, in a ‘Save our Souls’ statement issued by its Caretaker Chairman, Adekunle Akindele, threatened to occupy police offices across the state if the IGP does not stop the ongoing arrest of its leaders.
Akindele further accused the police boss of serving the interest of the APC ahead of the Saturday’s poll, adding that the IGP has abandoned his sacred duty of being an impartial law enforcement agent to acting like a politician.
The party chairman, who warned the IGP against stoking the fire of political conflict in a peaceful state like Osun, further said: “Is it a sin to win an election in a democracy? Must PDP leaders be detained because they are good democrats? Why has IGP refused to act on several petitions on the killings of our members? Why are the police authorities shielding APC thugs and working with APC chieftains to arrest the victims instead of the perpetrators of violence?”
“We call on Western embassies and international human rights organisations to intervene by calling the IGP to order. The conduct of the police in Osun State is threatening peace and security of the state. PDP members are being pushed to the wall.
“We are Nigerians protected by the Constitution. We will not surrender our rights. We put the IGP on notice that he will be responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state. This illegal statewide arrest must stop.”
He further said: “Our leaders are being arrested in a bid to rig Saturday’s election. We will resist any ploy to manipulate the polls. Osun people voted overwhelmingly for PDP in the last polls. They are ready to freely exercise their voting rights again. Arresting our leaders on Kangaroo charges is an attack on democracy and our fundamental human rights.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to stop serving the evil interest of the APC. The police boss has a sacred duty to be an impartial enforcer of the law, and not an agent of one political party against the other. It is unacceptable for the IGP to take directives from APC chieftains on who to arrest or detain. This is a democracy and not a military dictatorship.
“We will not resort to self help. We are law-abiding citizens and a ruling party in Osun State. But if this harassment of our members continues, we will mobilise and storm all police posts in Osun State in a peaceful protest. Let the IGP arrest all Osun PDP members.”
Source: The Guardian
