Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, has come under fire after a viral video appeared to show him threatening members of the Accord party in Ilesa ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
Fadahunsi made the remarks in Yoruba while addressing supporters during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland over alleged killings of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.
In the video, the senator, who was accompanied by other APC leaders, accused supporters of the Accord party of involvement in killings and made references to the party’s yellow branding.
“The cap they wear – it is Yellow Fever cap, it is the cap of an animal,” he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
He added: “It is animal that kills. Have you ever heard that APC killed anyone? Are those being killed not your people?”
Fadahunsi then said: “So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, it is killing.”
The remarks came a day after three people were reportedly killed during a shooting in the Imo area of Ilesa, amid heightened political tension ahead of the August 15 election.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain disputed.
Community sources linked the killings to a clash between APC and Accord supporters, while the Osun State Police Command described the incident as a cult-related confrontation involving suspected members of the Aiye and Eiye confraternities.
Police said three individuals identified as Idowu, Yinka and Eja were shot dead.
Four expended cartridges and two Android phones were reportedly recovered from the scene.
Following a distress call, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Erale Etaifo, ordered the deployment of operatives from the Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU) to the area.
“The CP Election has directed the VCRU operatives and other tactical teams to intensify patrols, surveillance and intelligence-led operations within Ilesa and adjoining areas, particularly around identified flashpoints, to forestall any reprisal attack,” the police said.
The incident has added to concerns over a wider pattern of violence in Osun ahead of Saturday’s election.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed in July that 30 people had allegedly been killed in incidents of pre-election violence in the state.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, also said the police could not rule out the involvement of politicians in some of the killings.
Accord campaign council demands Fadahunsi’s arrest
The Imole Campaign Council, the campaign organisation of Governor Ademola Adeleke, condemned the senator’s remarks and demanded his arrest and prosecution.
Its Chairman, Media and Publicity, Bamidele Salam, described the statement as an “open incitement to kill”, saying it posed a serious threat to Accord supporters and other residents of Ijesaland.
The council also alleged that information available to it indicated the movement of political thugs and fake police officers into Ijesaland.
It further alleged that Fadahunsi had threatened to stop Accord supporters from voting even when they presented their Permanent Voter Cards at polling units.
The campaign organisation urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to investigate the senator’s comments and take appropriate action.
It also called for increased security attention in Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West local government areas during the election.
The council said it would hold Fadahunsi responsible for any violence against Accord members in Ijesaland, while urging residents not to be intimidated.
Fadahunsi says ‘kill’ remark was metaphorical
Fadahunsi has since issued a clarification, insisting that his use of the word “kill” was not intended literally.
In a statement titled “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells AP”, his media office said the senator was calling on APC supporters to defeat the Accord party through the ballot box.
According to the statement, the remark was “purely political and metaphorical” and was intended to encourage supporters to reject the Accord party through lawful and peaceful democratic means.
“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,” the statement said.
It added that Fadahunsi had consistently supported elections being determined by voters rather than force.
The senator also urged security agencies to remain professional and ensure that eligible voters could exercise their constitutional rights without fear or intimidation.
The controversy comes just days before voters across Osun are expected to choose among 14 governorship candidates, including Adeleke, who is seeking re-election.
With shootings, killings and attacks on political supporters reported during the campaign, security agencies have intensified preparations and repeatedly warned political parties and their supporters against actions capable of undermining the poll.
