By Our Correspondent

National News – The African Democratic Congress and the Ekiti State Police Command are locked in a heated dispute over the arrest of the party’s House of Assembly candidate for Ekiti Constituency 1, Ayodele Babatola, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ADC accused the police of political intimidation, while the command maintained that the arrest followed a rape complaint filed against the politician in Ado Ekiti.

The controversy began on May 26, 2026, when officers of the Rapid Response Squad reportedly arrested Babatola over allegations made by a 30-year-old woman, Bukola Oluwaseun.

According to the police, the complainant alleged that Babatola sexually assaulted and injured her at a hotel in the Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti after the two met through social media months earlier.

ADC members staged a protest in Ado Ekiti, carrying placards demanding the immediate release of their candidate.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Gboyega Aribisogan, described the arrest as a deliberate attempt to silence opposition voices before the Ekiti governorship election and the 2027 polls.

Aribisogan further alleged that the police used a remand procedure known as “Form K” to detain Babatola unfairly.

He claimed the practice violated constitutional rights to personal liberty and fair hearing, adding that similar tactics had allegedly been used against opposition figures in the state.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, denied any political motive behind the arrest.

He explained that the suspect was invited for questioning after the complaint was filed and was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

The police stated that after preliminary investigations were completed, Babatola was charged to court and remanded at the Correctional Service Centre in Ado Ekiti pending further legal proceedings.