By-Election: PDP decries violence, demands release of chairman

By Adejoke Adeleye

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has strongly condemned the arrest of its state chairman, Abayomi Tella,  describing it as a politically motivated act intended to cripple the opposition and facilitate electoral manipulation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a press statement signed by Otunba Ach Kayode Adebayo, the PDP decried the violence that marred the Federal Constituency By-election across Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne, characterising the scenes on the ground as chaotic and deeply troubling.

According to the PDP, the election was marred by widespread gunfire, voter intimidation, and harassment of electoral officers—incidents they say were orchestrated to distort the will of the people.

“This disgraceful display of thuggery is a direct assault on democracy,” the statement read. “The arrest of our Chairman in his hotel room in the early hours is not just appalling—it is a deliberate move to cripple the PDP and hand the election to the APC.”

The opposition party accused the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) of playing a complicit role in the violence, claiming that security operatives targeted opposition figures while ignoring those responsible for electoral disruption.

“This abuse of power is unacceptable,” the PDP stated. “Security agencies, rather than upholding the law, have become enforcers of political oppression.”

The statement also held the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun accountable, accusing it of turning a blind eye to electoral misconduct and failing to ensure the safety of citizens during the election period.

“The people of Sagamu, Remo North, and Ikenne witnessed the violence firsthand. They know who they voted for. This is not democracy—it is tyranny,” the PDP said.

The party demanded the immediate release of its Chairman and other detained opposition members and called for a thorough investigation into the roles played by security agencies in the electoral violence.

PDP urged civil society organisations, democratic institutions, and the international community to monitor the situation in Ogun State closely and to speak out against what it described as a dangerous erosion of democratic norms.

“We remain committed to defending the people’s mandate and ensuring that justice prevails. The intimidation must end. The perpetrators must be held accountable.”