Osun poll: Adeleke campaign urges IG to act over Fadahunsi’s inciting comment

The campaign council for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police to investigate Senator Francis Fadahunsi. This call follows the circulation of a viral video showing Fadahunsi making what the campaign describes as inciting comments against the Accord Party.

In the video, reportedly filmed while addressing All Progressives Congress supporters in Ilesa, Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, was heard speaking in Yoruba. He accused Accord Party members of attacking APC supporters and allegedly urged the gathering to retaliate against Accord Party members in Ilesa. The senator also appeared to dare individuals to record and share his remarks on social media.

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This is a serious threat to lives and the peaceful conduct of the August 15 election.

Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesperson for the Adeleke campaign council, emphasized the seriousness of the threat to lives and the peaceful conduct of the August 15 governorship election. "Nobody has the right to kill an Accord member or any citizen. Nobody has the right to stop Osun people from voting. Enough is enough!" Olajengbesi stated, demanding immediate police intervention.

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Mr Inspector-General of Police, this must be addressed immediately. Nobody has the right to kill an Accord member or any citizen. Nobody has the right to stop Osun people from voting. Enough is enough!

Social media users also reacted to the video, with some questioning the lack of police action. Wale Akintoye, an Osun indigene, described the remarks as a threat to citizens' lives. Adenike Bekky, another user, argued that political differences should not lead to threats of harm, stating, "Politics should never be a matter of life and death."

Senator Fadahunsi, however, clarified his statement, asserting it was purely political and metaphorical. He explained it as a call for supporters to overwhelmingly reject the Accord Party through lawful and peaceful means in the upcoming election. He stated it was not a call for violence.

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Why should anyone be threatened or harmed simply because they chose not to decamp with you? Politics should never be a matter of life and death. We cannot all face the same direction, and political differences should never be a reason to threaten the lives of citizens.