By Vivian Okejeme
An Abuja-based lawyer Pelumi Olajengbese, has petitioned the international community, accusing police of bias, ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
Olajengbese, who is the spokesperson of the Accord Party (AP) accused the state’s Commissioner of Police of working in the interest of a political party.
Therefore, he demanded for free fair election in the state.
He disclosed this at a world press conference in Abuja on Friday, where he said his group had formally written to the British High Commission to raise the alarm over the conduct of security agencies in Osun State ahead of the poll.
“We have written to the British High Commission that the police in Osun is completely compromised, that the Commissioner of Police in Osun is being partisan and he is working for a political party. This should not be happening when we are talking about democracy, when Nigeria is talking about free, fair and credible elections. The people of Osun must be allowed to go to the polls and vote for a candidate of their choice,” he said.
He urged the international community and the Federal Government to ensure the election is free and fair, describing the poll as a critical test of Nigeria’s institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This election is a litmus test of the integrity of INEC, a major test of the integrity of the IG of police, and beyond that it is a major test of the integrity of our institutions to know if we are able to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the forthcoming 2027 general elections,” he said.
Olajengbese said the Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers was monitoring developments in the state and called on election observers to remain vigilant, warning that political thugs had continued to kill with impunity.
“We know that this election will come and the choice and decision of the people will be determined,” he said, citing his earlier petition to the police in which he warned that people were “being killed every day in Osun” and that the state police command was “providing cover to the perpetrators.”
Earlier Petition to the IGP
Olajengbese’s remarks followed an earlier petition he personally delivered to the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, in which he raised alarm over a pattern of election-related violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
In the petition, he noted that the killings posed a serious threat to public safety, democratic governance and the credibility of the election, citing loss of lives, injuries to residents, destruction of property, and widespread fear across communities in Osun State.
He accused the Osun State Police Command of complacency despite several reports of violence, and demanded the immediate redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police.
Among his key demands, Olajengbese called for:
A comprehensive investigation into every documented incident of political violence in the state;
The identification, arrest and prosecution of all those found to have participated in, sponsored, financed or facilitated political violence, irrespective of political affiliation;
The immediate deployment of additional tactical and conventional police personnel to identified flashpoints across the state;
A comprehensive review of Osun’s security architecture ahead of the election;
The immediate redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police to restore public confidence in policing; and clear directives to all police formations in the state to enforce the law impartially throughout the electoral period.
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