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Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called for the immediate arrest of the senator representing Osun East and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Francis Fadahunsi, over remarks in which the lawmaker allegedly urged supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke also asked the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to clarify allegations that Accord Party leaders were being detained ahead of the poll, saying the arrests, if politically motivated, would threaten the credibility of the election.
The governor made the demands during a press conference on Tuesday, describing Fadahunsi’s comments as a matter that had gone beyond partisan politics and had become a national security concern.
“I have raised this issue with the Inspector General of Police and demanded for the immediate deposition and arrest of Senator Fadahunsi,” Adeleke said.
The governor made the remarks after a video in which Fadahunsi, the senator representing Osun East Senatorial District and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was heard calling for violence against Accord Party members went viral
Fadahunsi’s remarks, which surfaced publicly on Tuesday, have also drawn condemnation from others, including Afrobeat artiste Davido, who shared the video online.
“The second issue has to do with the viral video of a savage senator, Francis Fadahunsi, who today called for the killing of Accord Party leaders and their families,” he said.
“In the video, the senator even threatened that where they cannot get Accord Party leaders, they should kill their wives and children.”
Fadahunsi had earlier been quoted in the video as saying, “From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them”.
Adeleke said such comments required intervention beyond the state level, urging the national government and security agencies to act.
“This is now beyond politics. This is now a national security threat that requires the attention of Mr. President through the Office of the National Security Advisor,” he said.
The governor also raised concerns over the alleged detention of more than 62 Accord Party leaders, including one of the party’s candidates.
“I task the Inspector General of Police to issue a statement to assure Nigeria that no order has been given to arrest Accord Party leaders in Osun State,” Adeleke said.
“It is illegal and a threat to democracy for Accord Party leaders to be arrested on the eve of an election on trumped-up charges.”
He alleged that the detainees were being held without charges.
“First, it is disturbing that we have over 62 Accord Party leaders held in illegal police detention without any charges against them, including one of our party candidates,” he said.
The allegations come days before the August 15 Osun governorship election, in which Adeleke, the incumbent governor, is seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform.
He is facing, among others, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji. The election is scheduled for Saturday.
Political tension has intensified in the state in the run-up to the poll, with allegations of attacks, intimidation and arrests involving supporters of rival parties.
