Osun poll: Adeleke’s wife leads women’s protest over alleged arrests, violence

Osun poll: Adeleke’s wife leads women’s protest over alleged arrests, violence

The Osun State First Lady, Titilola Adeleke, on Monday led women from across the state in a protest against alleged indiscriminate arrests, political violence and intimidation ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The protesters, drawn from different groups of traders, artisans and other women’s associations, marched through parts of Osogbo before proceeding towards the Osun State Police Command along the West Bypass.

The protest was aimed at demanding a peaceful, free and fair election, while calling on security agencies to remain neutral and protect voters and political actors irrespective of their affiliations.

Adeleke was accompanied by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ayobola Awolowo; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Market Affairs, Eniola Omotosho; and other government officials.

The women carried placards with inscriptions including, “Election is not war,” “Stop indiscriminate arrest of our husbands,” “We want a free and fair election,” and “Police must be neutral.”

The protesters were prevented from proceeding to the main entrance of the police command but were later received by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Erale Etaifo.

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Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Adeleke said the women were concerned about alleged arrests and incidents of violence as political activities intensify ahead of Saturday’s poll.

She called on the police to invite some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for questioning over alleged violence and urged political actors to commit themselves to peaceful conduct before and during the election.

“We are demanding a free and fair election in the forthcoming poll. We want peace; let there be peace,” Adeleke said.

“They should stop killing our husbands and children. Make them sign an undertaking. From what we heard, we learnt that they will start picking our leaders up this week.”

The First Lady also alleged that the Commissioner for Environment had recently been arrested and mistreated, describing the development as unacceptable.

“Last Friday, they picked up the Commissioner for Environment. He was brought here, stripped naked. This is not good enough. They should leave our people alone,” she said.

Adeleke subsequently submitted a letter containing the protesters’ demands to the police commissioner.

Responding, Etaifo said the police were working to reduce political tension and provide adequate security for the Osun governorship election.

He said his deployment to Osun was part of measures approved by the Inspector-General of Police to stabilise the state and create an environment where voters and political actors could participate in the electoral process without fear.

“I have been here for the past two weeks. The IG was here because of the heightened tension in the state. For the first time in history, the IG directed the CP election to come three weeks to the election,” Etaifo said.

According to him, the state had enjoyed relative peace since his arrival, but he warned that rival protests or confrontations could undermine efforts to maintain stability.

“We don’t want tension before the election; we want peace. We cannot conduct an election in an insecure environment,” he said.

Etaifo assured the protesters that the police would review their complaints and restrategise where necessary to address their concerns.

He said his mandate was to stabilise the state, provide an enabling environment for political actors to exercise their franchise and boost public confidence ahead of election day.

The police commissioner also warned politicians, supporters and other individuals against attempting to manipulate or disrupt the electoral process.

“If you are a manipulator of any election, that is even the worst. The IG and Nigeria will not forgive you. I will arrest you and take you to Abuja because this election is a federal election; we must get it right,” he said.

Etaifo commended the women for conducting the demonstration peacefully but urged them to return home to avoid any incident that could escalate tension.

He also directed police personnel to escort the protesters back to the point where their march began.

The protest came as preparations intensified for the Osun governorship election, with political parties and security agencies stepping up activities ahead of the August 15 poll.

The election is expected to attract significant attention as the major political parties intensify their final campaigns and mobilisation across the state.

With only days to the election, stakeholders have continued to call for restraint, peaceful conduct and strict adherence to electoral laws to ensure that voters can exercise their rights without fear or intimidation.

Osun poll: Adeleke’s wife leads women’s protest over alleged arrests, violence