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The senator representing Osun East and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Francis Fadahunsi, has denied inciting violence against members of the Accord Party in the state.
A video shared by Afrobeat artiste Davido, who is a nephew of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, showed the lawmaker urging his supporters to attack members of the opposition.
However, 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 viral comment was a call on supporters to overwhelmingly reject the Accord Party at the ballot box through lawful, peaceful and democratic means during the August 15 governorship election.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Senator’s statement was purely political and metaphorical,” the statement read.
“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 consistent position has always been that elections should be decided by the votes of the people and not by force.
“The Senator, therefore, urges political actors, party supporters and the electorate to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the election. He also calls on security agencies to remain professional and ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their constitutional right without fear or intimidation.”
His spokesperson also appealed to members of the public not to misinterpret or deliberately distort the Senator’s comments, as they were clearly intended to encourage electoral victory through the power of the ballot and not through violence.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has, however, demanded the immediate arrest and deposition of the lawmaker over the remarks.
Registered voters in Osun State will head to the polls on Saturday, with Adeleke seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
The Osun State Government has accused the APC of sponsoring attacks against supporters of the Accord Party, while opposition politicians have also alleged intimidation and harassment.
Election stakeholders and civil society organisations have, however, called for a peaceful election as voters prepare to cast their ballots.
Earlier, Davido called on United States President Donald Trump to pay close attention to the upcoming Osun State governorship election.
The Afrobeat artiste expressed concerns over possible violence and intimidation ahead of the August 15 poll.
