Osun Govt Flays Police Over Selective Enforcement Of Law

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Government has accused the Nigeria Police of selective enforcement of the law as the governorship election draws nearer.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Jimi-Bada, SAN, who addressed a press conference in Osogbo on the spate of arrest of members of Accord Party in the State declared that “We will not accept the detention of citizens without clear legal justification.

“We will not accept a situation where allegations are shifted from one ground to another in search of justification after the fact. We will not accept  selective enforcement. We will not accept media trial. We will not accept the criminalisation of lawful political association.

“The Government of Osun State recognises the constitutional role of the Nigeria Police Force. We do not oppose lawful investigation.

“We do not support criminality. We do not shield anyone who is properly suspected of committing an offence. Nobody is above the law.

“However, it must be said with equal firmness that the law is also above every institution, including the police.

“Law enforcement must be carried out with fairness, neutrality, restraint, and strict compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“From the information available to the Government of Osun State, the Secretary to the State Government was not at home when his residence was raided.

“He was not arrested at the scene. He did not flee. He did not evade the police. Upon being informed that persons had been arrested at his residence, he voluntarily proceeded to the Force Headquarters to assist the process and to seek administrative bail for those arrested.

“It is therefore shocking that a senior public official who voluntarily submitted himself to law enforcement authorities, not as a fugitive but as a responsible citizen, was subsequently detained.

“This is a matter of serious concern. If a citizen who voluntarily goes to the police to assist an inquiry can be turned into a detainee without clear and credible grounds, then every citizen is at risk.

“We have been informed that some members of the Accord Party were present at the residence in connection with the distribution of funds intended for lawful party logistics.

“Political parties are entitled to organise their members, arrange transportation, mobilisation, feeding, communication, and other legitimate election-related logistics, provided such activities are conducted within the law.

“It is important to emphasise that the Osun State Governorship Election is scheduled for 15th August, 2026. The incident in question occurred on 29th July, 2026.

“No governorship election was taking place in Osun State on that date. No polling units were open. No ballot was being cast. No voter was in a voting queue. No collation was taking place.

“While the law rightly prohibits voter inducement and electoral bribery, such a serious allegation must be supported by credible, specific, and admissible evidence.

“The mere possession or distribution of funds for party logistics should not be hastily labelled as vote-buying without proof of unlawful inducement of voters.

“The distinction is important. Party logistics are not, by themselves, a crime. Political mobilisation is not, by itself, a crime. Printing campaign materials is not a crime. Holding a meeting in a private residence is not a crime. Belonging to an opposition or minority political party is not a crime.

“We have also been informed that the police allegedly recorded or displayed some Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, found with persons at the residence.

“The information available to us is that those PVCs belonged to the Accord Party members who were present at the residence. If a citizen is in lawful possession of his or her own PVC, that fact alone does not constitute an offence.

“Furthermore, INEC has already released the voters’ register to political parties in accordance with the electoral process. A voters’ register that INEC has lawfully released can be printed or reproduced by political parties for legitimate electoral planning, mobilisation, verification, and polling-unit organisation.

“The possession of printed copies of the voters’ register, without more, should not be sensationalised as evidence of criminal conduct.

“If the police have contrary evidence, they should disclose it in accordance with the law. They should state clearly whose PVC was found with whom. They should state whether any PVC was found in the unlawful possession of another person.

“They should state whether any voter was identified as having been offered money in exchange for a vote. They should state whether any written statement, video recording, marked money, or direct complaint supports the allegation of vote-buying.”

The commissioner called on election stakeholders topay special attention tothe August poll in the state to ensure peaceful conduct.

“We call on INEC, civil society organisations, election observers, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Human Rights Commission, and all lovers of democracy to pay close attention to this matter and to the general conduct of security agencies ahead of the 15th August, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.”