Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has condemned the reported arrest of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Bisi, and called for his immediate release.
Adeleke made the demand in a statement issued on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and signed by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, as voting continued in the Osun State governorship election.
According to the governor, Bisi was arrested at his residence in Ilesa shortly after returning from his polling unit where he had cast his vote.
Adeleke said the PDP chairman was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location, adding that no reason had been provided for his arrest.
The governor described the development as an attempt to intimidate members and supporters of the PDP during the ongoing election.
He also alleged that the arrest was part of a broader plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC), in collaboration with what he described as compromised security agents, to restrict opposition members from monitoring the collation of election results.
“This latest sweep on my supporters, I have authoritatively learnt, is part of a broader plan to give the APC unhindered access to change results at collation centres and upturn our wins at the poll,” Adeleke said.
The governor warned against any attempt to interfere with the collation process, describing such alleged actions as a threat to democracy and the integrity of the electoral process.
He urged security agencies and other authorities not to allow state institutions to be used to influence or manipulate the outcome of the election.
Adeleke further called for the immediate release of Bisi and other individuals he described as political prisoners across Osun State.
According to him, the arrest of opposition figures during an election could undermine voters’ confidence and restrict political parties from effectively monitoring the process.
“Election should be about the people freely giving their mandates to the person of their choice without threat or force,” the governor said.
The allegation comes amid heightened tension in Osun State as voting progresses in the governorship election.
The election is being conducted across the state’s 30 local government areas, with security agencies deployed to maintain law and order and protect voters and electoral personnel.
Adeleke’s claims regarding the circumstances surrounding Bisi’s arrest and the alleged plan to manipulate the collation process could not be independently verified from the information available.
The police and other relevant security authorities have yet to publicly respond to the governor’s allegations at the time of filing this report.