The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, warning that any such action could disrupt the party’s preparations for the poll.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, raised the alarm in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, saying the ADC had received what it described as credible reports of plans to arrest the former Osun State governor before the election.
The allegation comes amid heightened political activities and growing concerns over the conduct of the electoral process as voters prepare to elect the next governor of the state.
“Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC said it was particularly concerned about the timing of the alleged arrest, arguing that detaining Aregbesola on the eve of the election could affect his ability to coordinate the party’s activities and support its candidates.
Aregbesola served as governor of Osun State from 2010 to 2018 and later served as Minister of the Interior. He currently serves as National Secretary of the ADC, one of the opposition parties participating in the governorship contest.
The party urged any security agency seeking to question Aregbesola to follow due process and established legal procedures rather than resorting to an arrest that could heighten political tension.
“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party,” the statement said.
“If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so.”
The ADC argued that any action against Aregbesola so close to the election would inevitably attract public scrutiny.
“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities,” the party said.
However, the allegation has not been independently established. The ADC did not identify the security agency allegedly planning the arrest or disclose details of the information on which the claim was based.
The party nevertheless called on the Federal Government and security agencies to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi said.
“Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now.”
The development adds another layer to the political atmosphere surrounding the Osun governorship election, which has already been characterised by allegations and counter-allegations among rival political camps.
The ADC also appealed to the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to avoid any action capable of inflaming tensions in the state, stressing that opposition parties should be allowed to campaign and participate in the election without intimidation.
“The APC Federal Government must be wary of doing anything that could plunge Osun State into needless crisis,” the party said.
The party’s position comes as political actors and security agencies face mounting pressure to ensure that the election is conducted peacefully and that voters are able to exercise their constitutional right to vote without fear.
The ADC maintained that respect for democratic participation must remain central to preparations for the poll.
“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” Abdullahi said.
With the election only days away, any verified development involving senior opposition figures is likely to attract significant public attention.
For the ADC, the immediate concern is that the alleged arrest plan could become a flashpoint in an already sensitive electoral environment.
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