ADC Ekiti Demands Release of Assembly Candidate

…. Accuses Police RRS of Using ‘Form K’ for Political Intimidation

… Videos Inside

By Joseph Sunday 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ekiti State has condemned the arrest and detention of its House of Assembly candidate for Constituency 1, Mr. Ayodele Babatola, describing it as illegal and politically motivated.

Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, the party’s state chapter, through Rt. Hon. Olugboyega Aribisogan, said Babatola was arrested around 11 a.m. on Monday, May 26, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) over “unsubstantiated rape allegations.”

Aribisogan said the arrest was made without a valid warrant, violating provisions of the Nigerian Constitution. He alleged that Babatola was hurriedly arraigned using a “Form K” remand application, which he said has become a tool for indefinite detention and political intimidation in the state.

“Form K is a remand warrant application used by the police to seek a magistrate’s permission to hold a suspect pending investigation or trial. It was never intended to be a tool for indefinite detention or political intimidation,” Aribisogan stated.

He described Babatola as a social activist and U.S.-trained soldier known for criticizing government performance, especially on infrastructure. “He’s a well brought up Ekiti son who has never been reported as having been involved in any criminality,” Aribisogan said. He alleged that the RRS has used Form K to jail multiple Ekiti residents in recent months and to “muzzle the opposition.”

“What we are witnessing in Ekiti today is the weaponization of Form K. It is being used to detain citizens arbitrarily, circumvent due process, and keep opposition out of circulation during critical election periods,” he said. He cited Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution on the right to personal liberty and fair hearing.

The ADC stressed that it does not condone criminality and would support a thorough, lawful investigation of any credible allegation. However, it condemned “the use of state institutions like the RRS to harass, intimidate, and illegally detain a citizen because of his political affiliation.”

The party called on the Inspector General of Police to review Babatola’s arrest and order his release unless there is a lawful basis for detention. It also urged the Chief Judge of Ekiti State to scrutinize police applications for remand warrants, and asked the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the broader pattern of Form K use in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission was asked to take note to prevent interference in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.

Fielding questions from journalists at the Press Conference, Aribisogan said the party had not been able to speak with Babatola because he was “hurriedly taken to court and sent to prison.” 

On claims of knowing where the arrest came from, he pointed to the RRS’s track record: “In recent times, the men of RRS have been accused of using Form K to intimidate citizens, based on political affiliation. Petitions have been written to the Inspector General of Police on several occasions to dissolve the RRS because of the way they have conducted themselves.”

Asked what steps the party had taken beyond the press conference, Aribisogan said the ADC has consistently flagged the conduct of the RRS. He alleged the unit targets government critics at both state and national levels, including members of the ruling party, with “trumped-up charges.” 

“We are not saying police have no right to investigate. But when you misuse such power, we must cry out. What is happening to ADC today can happen to another party tomorrow,” he said.

He questioned the RRS’s jurisdiction, arguing that rape allegations should be handled by the State CID or homicide unit. “Using RRS for this is an aberration. There are other rapid response squads in other states. They don’t behave the way the RRS continues to behave in Ekiti.”

Aribisogan said the party has commissioned independent investigators to examine the case and insisted the misuse of Form K “is becoming notorious and should not be condoned.” 

He concluded: “If a candidate can be picked up and locked away without due process today, no citizen is safe tomorrow. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Ayodele Babatola, and an end to the misuse of police powers to subvert democracy in Ekiti State.”