OSOGBO, Nigeria — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised an alarm over an alleged plot to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, in the days leading up to Saturday’s governorship election.

The party stated on Wednesday that it had received credible reports indicating a plan to detain Aregbesola, expressing concern that such an action could be intended to disrupt the ADC’s election activities.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, who signed the statement, noted the increasing pattern of intimidation and misuse of state institutions against the opposition.

“Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports,” Abdullahi said.

Aregbesola served as Osun State governor from 2010 to 2018 and later as the Minister of the Interior before becoming the ADC’s National Secretary.

The ADC emphasized that established procedures exist for security agencies to question its national secretary if there are lawful grounds.

“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so,” the party stated.

The ADC argued that an arrest on the eve of an election in which the party is participating would strongly suggest a motive to prevent Aregbesola from leading and coordinating the party’s campaign efforts.

“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities,” the statement read.

The party issued a notice to the Federal Government and security agencies, urging them to refrain from actions that could compromise the election’s credibility.

“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi remarked. “Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now.”

Furthermore, the ADC cautioned the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government against any actions that might escalate political tensions within Osun State.

“The APC Federal Government must be wary of doing anything that could plunge Osun State into needless crisis,” the party warned.

The ADC called on the government to uphold democratic principles and ensure that all political parties can participate freely in the electoral process.

“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” Abdullahi concluded.