Osun 2026: Adeleke Condemns Alleged Arrest of PDP Chairman in Ilesa

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has condemned the reported arrest of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Bisi, describing the development as an attempt to intimidate party supporters and undermine the electoral process.

A statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Saturday said Bisi was arrested at his residence in Ilesa shortly after returning from voting in the ongoing Osun governorship election.

According to the statement, the PDP chairman was allegedly taken away by security operatives to an undisclosed location, while the reason for his arrest remained unknown.

Governor Adeleke described the arrest as “barbaric” and “a vicious attack on free will”, while accusing security agencies of being used to intimidate members and supporters of the PDP.

“Information reaching me indicates that Hon. Bisi was accosted in his home in Ilesa shortly after he returned after voting, and whisked him away to yet to be known location,” the governor said.

He alleged that the development was part of a wider plan to prevent PDP supporters from monitoring the collation of election results.

“This latest sweep on my supporters, I have authoritatively learnt, is part of a broader plan to give the opposition unhindered access to change results at collation centres and upturn our wins at the poll,” Adeleke said.

The governor described the alleged action as “the biggest assault on democracy” and called on those involved to desist from attempts to manipulate the outcome of the election.

He also demanded the immediate release of Bisi and other persons he described as political prisoners across the state.

“In that regard, I am calling for the immediate release of Hon. Bisi because his arrest is nothing but political and other political prisoners across Osun state,” Adeleke said.

He maintained that the outcome of the election should reflect the freely expressed choice of the electorate without intimidation or coercion.

“Election should be about the people freely giving their mandates to the person of their choice without threat or force,” the governor said.