By Muhammad Mamman
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fiercely denounced the arrest of its Ogun State Chairman, Abayomi Tella, during a by-election, branding it a calculated move to suppress opposition and tilt the scales in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a scathing statement released on Saturday, the PDP accused the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) of complicity in what it called “despicable and cowardly” acts aimed at undermining democracy. The party expressed dismay that security forces, tasked with upholding law and order, appeared to be targeting opposition members while ignoring perpetrators of electoral violence.
According to PDP Publicity Secretary Kayode Adebayo, the by-election in Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne was marred by rampant violence, including heavy gunfire, voter harassment, and intimidation of electoral officials. “This shameful display of thuggery is a direct assault on the democratic rights of our people,” Adebayo declared, condemning the chaos as a deliberate attempt to subvert the will of voters.
In a particularly alarming development, Tella was apprehended in his hotel in the early hours of the morning, an act the PDP described as a blatant effort to weaken the opposition and facilitate electoral manipulation by the APC. “The people of Remo know who they voted for and witnessed first-hand the brigandage threatening their mandate,” the statement read, warning that such tactics set a dangerous precedent for democracy.
The PDP also pointed the finger at Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration, accusing it of enabling electoral violence and failing to curb what it called a “regime of terror.” The party argued that this failure, backed by security agencies, risks dragging Ogun State into a “dark age” of lawlessness and brutality.
“We stand resolute with the people of Remo and will not tolerate the trampling of their democratic rights,” the PDP vowed, demanding an immediate investigation into the role of security agencies in the violence. The party also called for the prompt release of its chairman and other opposition members it claims were unjustly targeted.
Urging the Nigerian Police to rise above partisan politics, the PDP appealed to civil society, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to condemn the descent into electoral chaos. “We remain steadfast in defending the people’s mandate and ensuring democracy prevails. This reign of terror must end, and those responsible must face justice,” the statement concluded.
