Police arrests Senator Ademola Adeleke, reveals reason

Nigerian police have arrested Ademola Adeleke, lawmaker representing Osun west senatorial district.

The senator was candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2018 governorship election in Osun state.

In a statement on Monday, the campaign organisation said Adeleke had honoured an invitation at the force headquarters in Abuja before he was detained.

Frank Mba, force spokesman, confirmed Adeleke’s arrest to TheCable, saying he would be charged to court on Tuesday.

“We alert the public, diplomatic and democracy community worldwide that the Nigerian Police has arrested and detained Senator Ademola Adeleke on old trumped up charges of certificate and testimonial forgery,” the statement read.

“This is after the school principal and school authority have through affidavits denied any forgery and owned up to the school testimonial issued to Senator Adeleke.

“Senator Adeleke had this morning honoured police invitation at the force headquarters, Abuja. He arrived at the force headquarters at 9am and was not attended to until later this afternoon when he was informed of fresh charges of testimonial forgery. The distinguished Senator was taken to Maitama Police station with plan to arraign him tomorrow at an undisclosed Magistrate court.”

The statement said Adeleke is being victimised over his “pursuit of the retrieval of the governorship mandate freely conferred on him by the people of Osun state”.

The election tribunal had declared him duly elected governor but Gboyega Oyetola, the incumbent governor, field an appeal.

The appeal court has reserved judgement in the case.

Adeleke’s campaign organisation also accused the police of working for Oyetola and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Yet, the police in connivance with the appellants have decided to unjustly incarcerate and raised trumped up charges which have been clarified by relevant authorities,” the statement read.

“The principal of the secondary school attended by Senator Adeleke testified through affidavit before Bwari High Court that the school indeed issued the testimonial. WAEC equally testified that the Senator sat for the examination. For the Police to revive this old clarified issue confirms political vendetta.

“We call for urgent intervention of well meaning Nigerians to stop this emerging rape of democracy. The case for which the Police is acting is subjudice. It is sad to note that the Police appears to have become a tool in the hands of enemies of rule of law.”

The PDP had earlier raised the alarm over the plot to arrest Adeleke.

However, Frank Mba, force spokesman, has revealed that Adeleke was detained in connection with ongoing criminal investigations against him and will be charged to court on Tuesday.

The senator had honoured an invitation at the force headquarters in Abuja before he was detained.

He said: “Senator Adeleke is currently in police custody. He was taken into custody in the evening of today 6th May, 2019 in connection with ongoing criminal investigations touching on his person.

“Meanwhile, in the best tradition of natural justice and fair hearing, he has already been served with the relevant charge sheet containing his alleged offences in the presence of his Attorneys. He will be arraigned in a competent court of law tomorrow, 7th May, 2019.”

The police had arraigned Adeleke for alleged examination malpractice.

But his campaign organisation accused the force of working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the detention.

“The principal of the secondary school attended by Senator Adeleke testified through affidavit before Bwari High Court that the school indeed issued the testimonial. WAEC equally testified that the Senator sat for the examination. For the Police to revive this old clarified issue confirms political vendetta,” it said in a statement.