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The Imole Campaign Council supporting Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to redeploy Ibrahim Gotan, the Commissioner of Police overseeing security for the Osun governorship election, over alleged partisanship.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Bamidele Sallam, chairman of the council’s media and publicity sub-committee, accused Gotan of favouring the All Progressives Congress (APC) and failing to maintain neutrality ahead of the August 15 poll.
The council alleged that Gotan held a late-night meeting with some APC leaders on Thursday and had been operating what it described as a “parallel police structure” since his deployment to the state.
It further accused the police commissioner of supporting alleged attacks by APC-linked thugs on Accord Party members and deploying special squads to arrest members of the opposition party.
The council also alleged that Gotan was disregarding the IGP’s directive that officers deployed for election duties must remain non-partisan.
It called for Gotan’s immediate redeployment from Osun, saying his removal was necessary to ensure a free and fair election.
The council also demanded the release of more than 60 Accord leaders and members it claimed were being detained, including Alaba, its candidate for the House of Representatives seat in Ijesa South.
It further called for the disbandment of what it described as a secret police squad allegedly being used to target Accord members.
The council urged the IGP to take immediate action in line with the police directive on neutrality and the presidential call for a credible election.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately transfer Mr Gotan out of Osun state to allow the presidential directive for a free and fair election to materialise,” the statement reads.
“We demand immediate release of over 60 Accord leaders and members under illegal detention, including an Accord candidate for House of Representatives for Ijesa South, Hon. Alaba.
“We further demand immediate disbandment of secret police squad being used by Mr Gotan to support APC thugs in their daily attacks on Osun Accord members.
“In the best interest of democracy, in pursuance of IGP direct order to police officers and in compliance with presidential directive for free and fair election in Osun state, we demand immediate urgent action of the Inspector General of Police,” it added.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for August 15, with security agencies under pressure to ensure a peaceful and credible poll.
