The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to stop the ongoing arrest of its leaders ahead of Saturday’s State Assembly elections or the party would occupy all police formations in the state.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Dr Akindele Adekunle said,

The party decried indiscriminate arrests of its leaders across the state as part of a grand plan to rig Saturday’s election.

He said, “We will resist any ploy to manipulate the polls. Osun people voted overwhelmingly for PDP in the last polls. They are ready to freely exercise their voting rights again.

“Arresting our leaders on Kangaroo charges is an attack on democracy and our fundamental human rights.

“We call on the Inspector General of Police to stop serving the evil interest of the APC. The police boss has a sacred duty to be an impartial enforcer of the law, not an agent of one political party against the other.

“It is unacceptable for the IGP to take directives on who to arrest or detain from APC chieftains. This is a democracy, not a military dictatorship.

“We will not resort to self-help. We are law-abiding citizens and a ruling party in Osun state. But if this harassment of our members continues, we will mobilize and storm all police posts in Osun state in a peaceful protest. Let the IGP arrest all Osun PDP members.

Dr Akindele wondered whether winning an election in a free and fair poll is a crime and questioned why the IGP is deliberately stoking the fire of political conflict in a peaceful state like Osun.

“Is it a crime to win an election in a democracy? Must PDP leaders be detained because they are good democrats? Why has IGP refused to act on several petitions on the killings of our members? Why are the police authorities shielding APC thugs and working with APC chieftains to arrest the victims instead of the perpetrators of violence?

“We call on western embassies and international human rights organizations to intervene by calling the IGP to order. The conduct of the police in Osun State is threatening the peace and security of the state. PDP members are being pushed to the wall.

“We are Nigerians protected by the constitution. We will not surrender our rights. We put the IGP on notice that he will be responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state. This illegal statewide

Larrest must stop”, he added. (Sunday Telegraph)