The African Democratic Congress has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by security agencies to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The party, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said it received what it described as credible information about plans to arrest the former Osun State governor in the days leading to the election.

The ADC warned that any such action could heighten political tension and undermine confidence in the electoral process.

“The African Democratic Congress has received credible reports of plans to arrest our National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the days leading to Saturday’s Osun State election,” the statement read.

The party urged the Federal Government and security agencies to exercise restraint, saying any legitimate investigation involving Aregbesola should follow due process.

“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former governor of Osun State, a former minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so,” the party said.

The ADC argued that arresting Aregbesola shortly before the election could be perceived as an attempt to prevent him from coordinating the party’s activities.

“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities,” it said.

The allegation comes amid heightened political tension in Osun, with concerns over alleged intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric, electoral violence and the conduct of security agencies ahead of Saturday’s poll.

The party urged the Federal Government to avoid actions capable of worsening the situation.

“We therefore put the Federal Government and the security agencies on notice. The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC further warned the government against taking steps that could plunge the state into crisis, stressing the need to respect democratic institutions and the rights of opposition parties to participate fully in the election.

“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” the party said.

It added that the conduct of authorities before, during and after the election would be judged by their actions rather than explanations offered after the poll.