The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has offered a sharply conflicting account regarding the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, alleging that Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, ordered the arrest in retaliation for being publicly booed.
The Speaker’s statement presents a direct counter-narrative to claims by the Osun State Police Command, which maintained that operatives acted on intelligence regarding vote-buying and the harbouring of a wanted suspect.
Core Claims Made by Speaker Egbedun
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Trigger at INEC Stakeholders’ Forum: Egbedun stated he witnessed the catalyst for the arrest during an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, attended by himself, the Deputy Governor, and the SSG.
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Public Humiliation Reaction: According to the Speaker, CP Gotan was booed by citizens while on the podium. Upon returning to his seat, Gotan looked directly toward the state officials while the SSG laughed.
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Phone Call and Immediate Arrest Order: Egbedun claimed he watched the Police Commissioner immediately make a series of phone calls. Egbedun warned the SSG that his arrest was being ordered, and minutes later, Igbalaye received a call that police officers were already waiting at his residence.
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Dismissal of Vote-Buying Charges: The Speaker questioned the police’s recovery of ₦4.8 million and two Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at the SSG’s compound, noting that ward members holding a routine meeting on the premises did not justify invading or arresting a top state official.
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Systemic Intimidation Allegations: Egbedun further disclosed that his own police orderlies were previously ordered by CP Gotan to report for questioning amid reports of a planned attack on his residence, claiming a broader pattern of intimidation against state leadership.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DIVERGENT ACCOUNTS ON OSUN SSG ARREST │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Speaker's Narrative : Personal retaliation by CP Gotan after being │
│ booed at an INEC meeting; abuse of power. │
│ │
│ • Police Command Version: Raid executed based on intelligence; recovered │
│ ₦4.8m cash, voter registers, and arrested │
│ a wanted murder suspect on the watch list. │
│ │
│ • Speaker's Demand : Urgent intervention by Inspector-General of │
│ Police Olatunji Disu to remove CP Gotan. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Sources: Osun State House of Assembly Press Unit & Nigeria Police Force Statements)
Call for Police High Command Intervention
Describing the state police command’s actions as an “embarrassment to every patriotic Nigerian,” Speaker Egbedun appealed directly to Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to intervene and redeploy Commissioner Gotan to ensure a neutral security apparatus ahead of upcoming political activities.
Ayodele Quadri
Correspondent
