Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has come under criticism after a video surfaced showing him telling supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
Fadahunsi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks while addressing supporters in Ilesa, Osun State.
In the video, the senator, speaking in Yoruba, was heard telling his supporters that if they saw members of the Accord Party in Ilesa, they should “kill them.”
The comments sparked condemnation, with the campaign council of Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform, calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate the remarks and take appropriate action.
However, Fadahunsi later clarified his comments, saying he was not advocating violence against Accord Party members.
In a statement issued by his media office on Tuesday, titled “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells APC,” the senator said his comment was intended as a metaphorical call for APC supporters to defeat the Accord Party overwhelmingly at the ballot box.
According to the statement, the senator’s remark was “purely political and metaphorical” and was intended to encourage supporters to reject the Accord Party through “lawful, peaceful and democratic means” during the August 15 governorship election.
Fadahunsi also urged political actors and voters to maintain peace and called on security agencies to ensure that eligible voters could exercise their constitutional rights without intimidation.
“At no point did Senator Fadahunsi advocate violence, intimidation or any form of physical attack against members or supporters of the Accord Party or any other political party,” his media office said.
The senator’s clarification came amid heightened political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with rival political camps trading accusations over violence and intimidation.
Fadahunsi maintained that elections should be decided by the votes of the people and not through force, urging supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the election.
