By Joy Yesufu
The Osun State Police Command on Wednesday questioned Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East in the National Assembly, over controversial remarks allegedly made during a campaign ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Fadahunsi arrived at the command headquarters in Osogbo at about 2:35pm in the company of Samuel Etaifo, the Commissioner of Police in charge of election security in the state.
His invitation followed the circulation of a campaign video in which he was heard urging supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to “kill” members of the Accord Party.
The remark triggered widespread condemnation and raised concerns about the possibility of political violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Fadahunsi, however, subsequently explained that the statement was metaphorical, saying he meant that APC supporters should “kill Accord with votes” by defeating the party at the ballot box.
Despite the explanation, the controversy has persisted, with political opponents and civil society groups calling for an investigation into the remarks.
The Accord Party has demanded the arrest and prosecution of the senator, describing the statement as an unacceptable threat to its members and supporters.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, the party said the alleged remark was particularly disturbing coming days before the governorship election.
“For a sitting senator to condescend so low to publicly threaten the lives of fellow compatriots days to the gubernatorial poll in the state is unjust and unacceptable,” the party said.
The Accord Party called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the matter and ensure that its members and supporters were protected from possible violence.
The party also appealed to the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, African Union and ECOWAS to pay close attention to the political situation in Osun and support efforts towards a peaceful and credible election.
It further alleged that more than 60 of its members had been arrested and detained in Abuja and Nasarawa State, demanding their immediate release.
The controversy has also attracted criticism from Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), who warned that inflammatory political statements could heighten tensions and undermine the credibility of the election.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday, said political leaders had a responsibility to promote peace and protect citizens, particularly during elections.
He urged Fadahunsi to retract the remarks and apologise to Osun residents if the circulating video accurately represented what he said.
Obi also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid rhetoric capable of encouraging confrontation.
Similarly, Timi Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, called for disciplinary action against the senator.
Frank urged the Senate to suspend Fadahunsi and called on security agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the remarks.
“The Senate must immediately suspend such a senator who can make such unguarded statements. We want to see action taken as an example to every person involved in election violence,” Frank said.
He argued that inflammatory rhetoric should not be treated as an isolated incident, warning that such statements could have wider implications for Nigeria’s political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The police invitation is expected to form part of an inquiry into whether the senator’s remarks could constitute an offence under relevant laws governing public order and electoral conduct.
The command had earlier summoned Fadahunsi to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Osogbo to clarify the circumstances surrounding the statement.
The police have yet to announce the outcome of the interrogation or disclose whether the senator will face any charges.
The development comes as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of Saturday’s election, amid heightened concerns over security and political violence.
With voters preparing to elect the next governor of Osun State, stakeholders have continued to urge candidates and their supporters to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and allow citizens to exercise their franchise freely and without intimidation.
