Dr. Sam Amadi, political analyst and Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, ahead of the gubernatorial election in Edo State on Saturday, has criticized the timing of recent arrests of political leaders.

Amadi labeled such arrests, if not for urgent criminal matters, as interference that undermines election credibility. He warned that such actions, occurring just days before an election, can be seen as a tactic to weaken opposition parties and sway election outcomes.

Amadi expressed concerns about the lack of independence in Nigeria’s security agencies, which he believes compromises their ability to conduct fair elections.

He highlighted a pattern of security involvement in election manipulation and voter intimidation, suggesting that such interference is deeply rooted and systemic. Amadi emphasized that without genuine reform, it is difficult to expect impartiality from security forces.

He criticized the assumption that security agencies could act impartially, given their history of being influenced by political interests. Amadi argued that if security forces can arrest individuals for criticizing officials, it is not far-fetched to believe they could be used to manipulate elections in favor of those in power, whether aligned with the APC or PDP.