An Osun State court has ordered the release of 16 Accord Party members and granted unconditional bail to another man who spent 26 days in detention, following the just-concluded governorship election.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesperson for the Ademola Adeleke Governorship Campaign Council, said in a statement on Friday, August 21, 2026, that the 16 members were freed after a court intervention.
According to him, they were arrested by police while canvassing votes for Governor Ademola Adeleke and spent about 24 hours in detention. Olajengbesi alleged the arrests were made on the instructions of the Osun State Commissioner of Police. The members were then driven by road to Abuja, Keffi, and Suleja, where they were held without any charge being established.
“We have just secured, through the intervention of the Court, the release of another 16 members of the Accord Party who have been in Police detention for the past 24 hours,” Olajengbesi said. “They were arrested simply for canvassing votes for Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun State during the just-concluded election.”
The court also granted unconditional bail to Hon. Alaba Popoola, popularly known as Alabama. He had been in detention for 26 days.
Olajengbesi described Popoola’s arrest and prolonged detention as politically motivated, saying it was carried out at the instance of Senator Francis Fadahunsi. “For 26 days, Alabama was kept in detention without any credible allegation being established against him,” he stated.
The Adeleke campaign spokesperson criticized the Nigeria Police Force over the incident. He said the prolonged detentions raise questions about the force’s professionalism and institutional integrity, and warned that police powers should not be used for political retaliation.
“This is deeply troubling and constitutes a serious dent on the professionalism and institutional integrity of the Nigeria Police Force,” Olajengbesi said. “The Nigeria Police Force must never allow itself to become an instrument for settling political scores. Its enormous constitutional powers must be exercised in defence of citizens and the rule of law, not at the convenience of politically exposed persons.”
He also commended the judiciary for stepping in. “We commend the judiciary for once again standing as a safeguard against arbitrary detention and abuse of state power,” he added.
