Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council in Osun State has demanded the immediate dismissal of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, following the arrest of a wanted murder suspect at his private residence in Osogbo. The opposition party also accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of attempting to interfere with police investigations and secure the release of the suspect, warning that shielding criminal suspects would undermine the rule of law and the integrity of the criminal justice system.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the Head of Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Council, Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, expressed concern over reports that Governor Adeleke was making efforts to free suspects arrested at the SSG's residence. Omowaiye specifically identified the suspect as Abiodun Oladele Arowomole, popularly known as Abbey Ashipa, who had been declared wanted in connection with several violent incidents, including the alleged killings of APC members and supporters.
According to the APC, Arowomole was linked to attacks in parts of the state, including an incident at Egbatedo in 2024 in which a passerby reportedly lost his life. The party claimed that eight pump-action guns were recovered during police operations related to the suspect's activities. Omowaiye further alleged that the governor was blackmailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies as a ploy to resist a free, fair, and credible election ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship poll.
"If Governor Ademola Adeleke is not an enabler and aider of criminality in the state, he should sack immediately Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, the Secretary to the State Government, in whose home a wanted murderer was arrested yesterday," Omowaiye declared. He urged the governor to "rise above pettiness, lower his desperation for a second term and fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies and allow the investigative process to run its course".
The APC campaign council also commended the officers of the Osun State Police Command and the Inspector-General of Police's special squad for what it described as their professionalism and commitment to tackling criminal activities in the state. The party maintained that the fight against crime should transcend partisan politics and that every individual found culpable should be prosecuted irrespective of political affiliation.
Reacting to the APC's demand, the Director of Strategic Communication of the Imole Campaign Council, which is leading Governor Adeleke's re-election campaign, Jamiu Olawumi, dismissed the call for Igbalaye's removal as politically motivated. Olawumi described the allegations as "insinuations calculated to smear the image of the SSG" and insisted that Igbalaye's stature, political relevance, and antecedents could not be matched by his critics. "Governance is about people, service and responsibility. As a governor, even when people propose an idea that does not make sense to the needs of the state, comments are free, but the facts remain sacred," Olawumi said.
The controversy began on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when operatives of the Osun State Police Command raided Igbalaye's private residence in the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo, arresting him alongside five others and recovering ₦4,810,500 in cash, electronic devices, and electoral materials. Among those arrested was Arowomole, who was described as a wanted murder suspect on the police watchlist. Igbalaye was released from custody on Thursday, but the police confirmed that investigations into the matter were ongoing.
The arrest and subsequent political fallout have intensified tensions in Osun State just over two weeks before the August 15 governorship election. Governor Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, has described the police action as part of a campaign of intimidation and has maintained that the people of Osun State would not bow to external interference. The APC, however, has framed the issue as a test of the governor's commitment to the rule of law, insisting that no government genuinely committed to peace and security should be seen shielding criminal suspects or obstructing lawful investigations.
As the election draws nearer, the demand for the SSG's sack has added another layer of political drama to an already heated contest, with both parties accusing each other of using state institutions for political advantage. The police have maintained that their operation was intelligence-led and part of ongoing efforts to curb electoral offences and criminal activities in the state. Whether Governor Adeleke will yield to the APC's demand or stand by his embattled SSG remains to be seen, but the controversy has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the final stretch of the campaign.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments