Osun State Government has accused the Nigeria Police of carrying out coordinated raids on the residences of senior government officials, alleging that the operations amount to intimidation ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government claimed that the latest operation involved the residence of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Teslim Igbalaye, where police officers reportedly arrested individuals attending a political meeting.

According to the government, “the ward officials were meeting within the premises of the SSG’s residence while Igbalaye himself was attending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ forum elsewhere in Osogbo when police officers entered the property.”

Alimi alleged that the operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, adding that members of the SSG’s family were also taken away during the raid.

“The SSG’s residence was bursted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations,” the statement said.

The state government further alleged that the operation formed part of a series of similar actions targeting members of the administration, claiming that the residences of about six commissioners and other senior government officials had also been searched by security operatives.

It also claimed that the residence of the Commissioner for Energy, Festus Adeyemo, in Ikire was raided on Tuesday, alleging that officers searched the premises and damaged property during the operation.

According to the government, “several other commissioners had reported surveillance around their homes, while some residences were allegedly entered despite, it claimed, the absence of any unlawful activity.”

The statement alleged that a number of members of the Accord had been detained at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Osun State Police Command without being granted bail following recent security operations.

Describing the development as an attack on democratic institutions, the government said, “These raids on the SSG and our commissioners are an aggravated assault on the government and people of Osun State. This campaign of repression constitutes grave danger to democracy.”

The government also accused the Osun State Police Command of acting in a partisan manner, alleging that the security agency had become “a direct tool in the hands of Osun APC” and was undermining constitutional principles.

It argued that the timing of the operations, which coincided with the visit of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission for election-related engagements, could negatively affect public confidence in the electoral process.

The government appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Service, the National Security Adviser, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and traditional rulers to intervene, urging them to halt what it described as targeted actions against government officials and members of the Accord Party.

“Our governor has consistently tasked the populace to calm down and not to take law into their own hands. The situation is reaching a boiling point. We must save our democracy from these lawless elements within the Nigerian police,” the statement added.

The government’s reaction came after an earlier announcement by the Osun State Police Command confirming the arrest of several suspects, including Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye, during an operation linked to an investigation into alleged vote buying in Osogbo.

The police’s disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan.

African Democratic Congress, ADC, has rejected the new campaign fees announced by the Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency, ABSSAA.

DAILY POST recalls that the agency placed N200m and N150m outdoor campaign fees on presidential and governorship candidates, respectively.

The Abia advertising agency also placed N150m, N50m and N20m on Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates.

The Chairman of the ADC in Abia State, Kalu Kalu, who was present on Wednesday when the new campaign regime was announced, questioned the rationale behind the charges.

Kalu who was accompanied by the ADC House of Assembly candidate for Arochukwu constituency, Francess Ogbonnaya Tabitha, raised the alarm that the humongous fees contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act, as regards campaign expenditure limit.

He also alleged that the campaign fees, if allowed to stay, could affect the chances of the candidates of the opposition parties, as well as destroy fair play during the 2027 polls in Abia.

“Has it not exceeded the election expenses that are provided by the Electoral Act,” the Abia State ADC Chairman fumed.

He advised the Abia agency to reduce the campaign fees to acceptable rates, noting that the agency must avoid actions that contravened the Electoral Act.

But unveiling the new campaign fees on Wednesday in Aba, the agency said no political party was being discriminated against in the advertising policy.

National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Seriake Dickson, has assured that every vote will count in the 2027 general elections.

In a post on his verified X handle on Wednesday, Dickson said that the will of the Nigerian people is supreme and supercedes selfish desires of any politician.

He said those who think they could shoot, kill, and maim their own people, every election season, with the security forces that are meant to protect the people, as well as write fake results with INEC, will be disappointed once again

“I want to assure you that every vote will count. There will be no room for violence, intimidation, or the deployment of security operatives and armed thugs against law-abiding citizens, as some people do.

“We believe the people’s will is supreme. Thank you once again for your prayers and support for me and for all the candidates of our party.

“Together, we must remain vigilant and ready to democratically resist intimidation, oppression, violence, inducements, and every attempt to undermine the will of our people.

“We have defeated federal might severally before, and, by the grace of God, we shall do so again, with me leading from the front, as you know,” he wrote.