The Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State chapter, has called for the removal of the Commissioner of Police, in charge of elections in the state, Abayomi Oladipo, over alleged manhunt of the party leaders by the Police.
The acting chairman of the party in the state, Adekunle Akindele, while addressing newsmen on Friday, March 10, in Osogbo, alleged that armed men from the Nigeria Police Force have invaded the state to cause unrest and mayhem within the party.
The party chairman further stated that, the PDP leaders in the state are being hunted down by the Police without a genuine reason.
“As I am addressing you today, the PDP leaders are being hunted and arrested in a Gestapo-style. Across Osun State, houses of our leaders are surrounded and raided even without a search warrant. Where our leaders are not at home, their families are arrested, and their cars are taken away on various false pretext.
“An undemocratic statewide operation is ongoing designed to pick and lock up prominent PDP leaders ahead of the next state election. Our surprise is that such mass raid is being conducted against a ruling political party in clear violation of fundamental human rights of those affected,’ he said.
While, describing the commissioner’s activities as unprofessional, he alledged that he is biased and partisan, when discharging his duty.
“Unfortunately, the Police Commissioner has not been professional in the discharge of his duties. All petitions from the PDP on violent attacks on our members were not attended to.
“We have come to the conclusion that the state Commissioner of Police election (Abayomi Oladipo) is biased and partisan. We call for his redeployment with immediate effect,” Akindele said.
He therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, to investigate the APC members for perpetrating violence in the state.
