Senator Francis Fadahunsi has denied allegations of inciting violence prior to the Osun governorship election. In response, Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tunji Disu to arrest and investigate the senator concerning his alleged remarks.
A social media clip purportedly shows Fadahunsi encouraging his supporters to remove any Accord Party members found in Ilesa ahead of the upcoming election. However, Fadahunsi issued a statement on Tuesday refuting these allegations and describing them as “deliberate misrepresentation.”
The senator explained that he was referring to the continuous attacks on APC members by alleged thugs in Ilesa, emphasizing that his party would “protect its people” if the violence persists.
“The video was manipulated to misrepresent my words,” Senator Fadahunsi clarified. “What I actually stated was that if the reported attacks on our members by Accord Party thugs persist, our party would respond in kind. My remarks were specifically addressing the continuous violence against our members in Ilesa and other regions.”
He emphasized, “I made it clear that if these killings continue, we will respond accordingly. Our goal is to pursue justice. It’s intolerable for individuals to take lives as our members are reportedly being murdered in Ilesa.”
He stated, “The victims are Nigerians, hailing from the same communities as us. I emphasized that should our members face another attack, we will not remain passive. We have a duty to protect our people, even on election day. Regrettably, Davido and Olajengbesi extracted less than two minutes of my 24-minute speech for their political agenda. This action represents deliberate misrepresentation and manipulation.”
At the same time, Governor Adeleke has accused Fadahunsi of inciting violence and making “genocidal” threats against members of the Accord Party. He is calling for a comprehensive investigation to ensure these threats do not come to fruition, emphasizing that no individual should be exempt from legal accountability.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the governor demanded the “immediate arrest” of the senator, labeling his statement as a threat to national security.
“This situation goes beyond politics and has become a national security concern requiring the President’s attention through the National Security Adviser’s office. I have discussed this with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and called for an immediate investigation and arrest of Senator Fadahunsi. The IGP verified the video’s content and promised swift action,” Adeleke stated.
We request that the Inspector General of Police immediately stop the unauthorized activities of the IRT, which has been unjustly arresting Accord Party leaders. We also demand that Senator Fadahunsi be promptly arrested by police and DSS for inciting unrest in Ijesahland and Osun State. This action would demonstrate to the world that Nigeria upholds the rule of law.
