Voting in Ikire, Osun State, was marred by alleged attacks at polling units on Saturday, hours after 52 Accord Party members were arrested at the residence of lawmaker Ibrahim Inaolaji.
Senator Lere Oyewumi, Director-General of The Imole Campaign Council, said suspected thugs attacked Accord agents and voters at two locations after voting started.
Oyewumi spoke to journalists at Unit 9, SS Peter and Paul, Sumoye Primary School, Ikire, where he gave details of the incidents. He also said the 52 people arrested at Inaolaji’s residence had been taken to Osogbo.
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The Police Public Relations Officer of the Osun Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, had earlier confirmed the arrest of the 52 people.
Oyewumi said the polling unit incidents began at Orieru Polling Unit in Ward 1, where an Accord agent was allegedly attacked and beaten.
He said the same group later went to St Joseph Primary School 1 and 2, where another voter was allegedly beaten and taken away on a motorcycle.
Arrests before voting
The polling unit incidents came after a midnight raid at Inaolaji’s residence, where Oyewumi said about 24 policemen arrived and took away about 52 people.
The lawmaker represents Irewole/Isokan State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly. Oyewumi said the Accord chairman in Irewole Local Government was among those arrested.
“It is very, very unfortunate what we witnessed here. The whole drama started in the midnight when about 24 policemen stormed the house of our House of Assembly member, Ibrahim Inaolaji,” Oyewumi said
He said members of the Inaolaji family had gathered at the house in Ikire. He explained that the family lives in Ibadan but visits Irewole Local Government because of their son’s political position.
“The Inaolaji family is a very big family and they reside in Ibadan. Since their son is the Honourable member, they used to come and register in Irewole Local Government,” he said.
Oyewumi alleged that the policemen damaged the gate before arresting those inside the residence.
“They were all around in his house, eating and drinking. The policemen just stormed the house, destroyed the gate and arrested about 52 people there, including the local government chairman of Accord. They are in Osogbo, as we speak,” he said.
He also spoke about two other Accord members who had been arrested before Saturday’s election.
Oyewumi said the Accord chairman in Ward 6 was arrested four days earlier. He said a prominent youth leader was arrested six days earlier and taken to Osogbo.
“Four days ago, they arrested the chairman of Accord in Ward 6. Six days ago, they arrested one of our very prominent youth leaders. All those ones are in Osogbo now, languishing there without any reasonable offence, just to make sure that they are not at home during the election,” he alleged.
Reports from polling units
Oyewumi said the arrests and polling unit incidents involved Accord members and supporters during the governorship election.
At Orieru Polling Unit, he alleged that an Accord agent was beaten before the suspected attackers went to other polling locations.
He said the incident at St Joseph Primary School involved another voter who was taken away on a motorcycle after being beaten.
Oyewumi said the voter was later brought back to the polling area after about 20 minutes. He noted that he had reported the alleged attacks to the police.
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