Less than twenty four hours to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police has arrested the Senator representing Kwara South and senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the zone, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim.
The arrest came a day after the chairman of the APC in the state called for his arrest in connection with the violence that erupted in Ojuku.
Speaking to the newsmen in Offa, the chairman of PDP youth in Kwara South, Muideen Abdurahman said the APC has started the mass arrest of the PDP leaders in the state as they did during the run up to the bye-election last year.
He said, “The reason behind Senator Ibrahim’s arrest is currently unknown and reminiscent of last year’s arrest of Kwara PDP leaders in Kwara South constituency during the bye-election,” he said in a statement.
“As at the time of this statement, Lola Ashiru, the candidate of the APC for the Kwara South Senatorial District, was holding a late-night rally, where he celebrated the arrest of Senator Ibrahim stating that the party had the “full support of the Government at the center.
“We, the youths of Kwara South Constituency, hereby call on the international community, specifically, observers who have come to witness the February 23rd election, to take note of the partisan and irresponsible antics of the Nigeria Police Force.
“We also call on all well-meaning Nigerians to join us to call for the release of Distinguished Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, who is known as a peace-loving and highly-performing legislator who always puts the needs of his constituents first and foremost.
“Additionally, we call on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, to cease and desist from utilising institutions of state from harassing leading political figures in our state.
“Elections are not do or die affair, hence, all candidates should be free to test their popularity at the polls without fear of intimidation by men of the Nigerian Police who are sworn to ‘serve and protect’ all citizens irrespective of their party affiliation.”
The police could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report as Ajayi Okasanmi, spokesman of the Kwara police command did not answer calls or respond to a text message sent.
