By Clifford Ndujihe, Dapo Akinrefon, Shina Abubakar & Elizabeth Williams
Senator representing Osun-East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, was yesterday questioned by the Osun State Police Command for about two hours over an alleged inciting statement ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Governor Ademola Adeleke had called for the arrest of Fadahunsi following a viral video in which the senator was allegedly heard saying, “kill any Accord member,” during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.
The protest followed the alleged killing of 12 All Progressives Congress, APC, members within 24 hours in Ilesa, an incident that heightened political tension in the state.
However, Fadahunsi denied making the statement that elicited outrage in the polity, insisting that what he said was that APC supporters should “kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes,” alleging that no fewer than 40 members of the APC had been killed in his district in the last 12 months.
He was, however, invited by the Police authority on Tuesday after the video went viral.
The senator arrived at the State Police Command headquarters at about 2:25pm, yesterday, accompanied by one of his aides. He headed towards the office of the Commissioner of Police but was redirected to the Department of Criminal Investigation, CID, where he was led into an investigation room by the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duty, Samuel Etaifo, alongside other senior police officers.
Journalists were barred from the investigation room, a separate building away from the office of the Commissioner of Police where the senator spent about one hour and 57 minutes.
He was subsequently taken to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he spent another 20 minutes before returning to the CID.
Fadahunsi was later joined by a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke, and a legal practitioner, Edmund Biriomoni before he was eventually released by the police around 4:45pm.
I was misinterpreted
Addressing journalists after his release, the senator said he honoured the police invitation and clarified the statement attributed to him.
He said: “I came here to honour the police invitation. We have met and I told them what I said, not the one manipulated by the mischievous interpreters of the Yoruba language.
“I am a Yoruba man. If a Hausa or Igbo person is interpreting, it may not be correct. Yoruba means a lot of things. What I said was that between now and Saturday, we will kill them with our votes.”
Fadahunsi expressed confidence that APC members would come out en masse to vote for the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, AMBO, despite what he described as intimidation by political thugs.
Charge Fadahunsi to court, Adeleke’s camp asks Police
However, the Imole Campaign Council, TICC, has called on the Nigeria Police Force to make public the outcome of the investigation so far conducted on Fadahunsi’s remarks.
The TICC, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, also urged the Police to charge the lawmaker to court over his remarks, noting that since the comment, most members of Accord Party in Ijesaland have been living in fear.
Olajengbesi said: “We consider human life to be too precious to be subjected to such daring threat by Senator Fadahunsi and as such, believes that every effort should be spared to guarantee its sanctity. Since the threat was issued by Senator Fadahunsi, our members in Ijesaland and across Osun State have come under immense fear for their lives. This makes it a grave public concern, especially as we are a few days away from the governorship election.
“It is, therefore, necessary for the Police to demonstrate that the matter is being handled with the seriousness it deserves.
“Our demand is not for the Police to prejudge the Senator or presume guilt, but to demonstrate that the law applies to all equally, irrespective of standing in the society.
Those inciting violence’ll go to prison at ICC – Hashim
Meanwhile, the Presidential Candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Hashim has warned those beating the drums of war over the Osun election to be wary of the consequences of their actions.
He said that Fadahunsi and those inciting violence would end up at the International Criminal Court, because incitement to political violence and especially murder is International Crime under the Hague Statute.
Hashim added that “Nigeria being a signatory to the Hague Convention must immediately arrest and prosecute the Senator, failing which “we shall activate the mechanism for an international arrest warrant at the Hague.”
Fadahunsi’s remarks deeply concerning – Obi
In like manner, the 2027 Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, in a statement by his spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, described as deeply concerning “the tactless and provocative statement” of Senator Fadahunsi and demands his immediate retraction of the statement and that Osun voters be allowed to determine who peacefully governs them.
Writing on his X handle, Obi said: “I wish to express my deep regret and profound concern regarding the recent inflammatory comments and threat-laden rhetoric attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi in the lead-up to the Osun State election on Saturday.
“As a high-ranking lawmaker representing the people in the National Assembly, Senator Fadahunsi carries a solemn constitutional and moral responsibility to promote peace, uphold democratic norms, and foster unity.
“It is therefore alarming and unacceptable that a distinguished senator would deploy intimidation, incendiary remarks, or political threats capable of heightening tensions, instilling fear in voters, and potentially inciting electoral violence in Osun State. All political leaders, stakeholders, and party loyalists across party lines must exercise the utmost restraint, moderate their language, and recommit themselves to peace and democratic decorum.
“I urge the good people of Osun State to remain calm, peaceful, and resolute as they exercise their constitutional civic duty at the polls.”
