Imported Police Officer from Rivers Alleged by Adeleke to Disrupt Osun Governorship Election.
Governor Adeleke sounds alarm after voting in Ede, accuses APC of plots to bypass collation as polls unfold.
EDE, OSUN STATE — The iNews Times | An imported police officer from Port Harcourt has become the centre of a fresh controversy in the Osun governorship election after Governor Ademola Adeleke alleged that the officer, identified only as “London,” was brought into the state to cause unrest and disrupt voting, particularly in his hometown.
Adeleke, the Accord Party https://accordnational.com.ng candidate seeking a second term, raised the alarm shortly after casting his ballot at Sagba Abogunde Ward 2, Unit 9 in Ede North Local Government Area on Saturday. He urged the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to monitor the officer closely and prevent any interference with the electoral process.
In this report, we examine the key developments, reactions from stakeholders, and the broader implications.
Background of the Story
The allegation lands on a tense election day in Osun State, where more than 2.3 million registered voters are choosing a governor across 30 local government areas. Adeleke, who won the 2022 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, later defected to the Accord Party amid national leadership crises in his former party. He secured the Accord ticket and is defending his record of continuity and development against a crowded field.
His main challenger is Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, popularly known as AMBO, who has enjoyed high-profile backing from federal APC figures. A faction of the Accord Party had publicly withdrawn support for Adeleke days earlier and endorsed Oyebamiji, though the recognised state leadership of Accord reaffirmed the governor as its candidate. Other contenders include Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress. The race has been marked by mutual accusations of planned violence, arrests of political figures, and questions over the neutrality of security agencies in the weeks leading to the poll.
Key Developments
After voting alongside his wife, Adeleke told journalists that information from his network indicated the officer known as London had been imported from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, specifically to disorganise voting in Ede. He described the move as a “hatchet job” intended to scare residents away from the polls and destabilise his stronghold.
The governor further claimed that the All Progressives Congress planned to circumvent the established collation sequence. According to him, results were not to follow the normal path from polling units to wards and then local government areas, but were instead to be taken directly to a central collation centre. Adeleke insisted such a departure from procedure was unacceptable and called on residents of Ede to remain vigilant.
He appealed directly to the Inspector-General of Police, the police commissioner overseeing the election, the Deputy Inspector-General assigned to the poll, and all security agencies to take note and act. “I want the Inspector-General of Police and all the security agencies to watch out, to be on the lookout for a police officer from Port Harcourt,” he said, adding that the process must remain free, fair and orderly so citizens can exercise their franchise without fear.
Reactions from Stakeholders
The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, responded by defending the constitutional and administrative authority of the Inspector-General of Police to deploy any serving officer to any part of the country. “The IGP has the right to deploy anyone, so far they are a police officer,” Gotan stated. He did not address the specific claim that the officer in question had been brought in to disrupt the election.
The exchange reflects deeper friction between the state government and the police command that has simmered for months, including earlier calls by Adeleke for the commissioner’s redeployment and disputes over arrests of government officials and party supporters. APC leaders have previously rejected similar accusations of partisan security operations and insisted that law enforcement must remain professional.
The iNews Times continues to monitor official statements and ground reports as voting proceeds across the state.
Implications
The allegation of an imported police officer raises serious questions about the neutrality of security deployments during a high-stakes off-cycle election. Any perception that officers from outside the state are being used to tilt the process risks undermining public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission and the police. Ede, as the governor’s political base, carries symbolic weight; disruption there could fuel narratives of targeted suppression and prolong post-election disputes.
Politically, the claims fit a broader pattern of mutual suspicion between the Accord camp and the APC. With Adeleke seeking continuity on a new platform and the APC aiming to reclaim the state it lost in 2022, every allegation of procedural bypass or intimidation intensifies the stakes. Socially, residents already navigating economic pressures and previous reports of political tension now face heightened anxiety about whether their votes will be counted transparently from the unit level upward.
What Happens Next
Security agencies are expected to investigate the specific identity and deployment of the officer referred to as London. The Inspector-General of Police retains the power to reassign personnel, and any public clarification on the officer’s role could either calm or further inflame the situation. Collation will test whether results move through the prescribed tiers or whether deviations occur as alleged.
INEC officials, party agents and observers will play critical roles in documenting the process. Both major camps are likely to issue further statements as figures begin to emerge. The outcome in Ede North and surrounding areas will be watched closely as an early indicator of the day’s trajectory.
Conclusion
Governor Ademola Adeleke’s claim that an imported police officer from Port Harcourt was brought to disrupt the Osun election has injected fresh tension into an already charged poll. By publicly challenging the security architecture and the planned flow of results, the governor has placed the integrity of the process under national scrutiny. How the Inspector-General of Police, the state command and INEC respond in the remaining hours of voting and throughout collation will shape not only the immediate credibility of the 2026 Osun governorship election but also public trust in Nigeria’s electoral institutions. The iNews Times will continue to track developments as the people of Osun decide their next governor.
