The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, on Wednesday honoured an invitation by the Osun State Police Command over an alleged inciting statement ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Fadahunsi was questioned for more than two hours over a viral video in which he was allegedly heard saying, “Kill any Accord member,” during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.
The development followed a call by Governor Ademola Adeleke for the arrest and prosecution of the senator over the alleged statement.
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The protest came amid heightened political tension following the reported killing of 12 All Progressives Congress (APC) members within 24 hours in Ilesa.
Fadahunsi, however, denied calling for the killing of Accord Party members, explaining that he had said APC supporters should “kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes”.
He also alleged that more than 40 APC members had been killed in his senatorial district within the past year.
The senator, who was invited by the police on Tuesday after the video went viral, arrived at the Osun State Police Command at about 2:25pm on Wednesday.
He was reportedly stopped along the way and redirected to the Department of Criminal Investigation, where he was taken into an investigation room by the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duty, Samuel Erale Etifo, alongside other senior officers.
Speaking with journalists after the questioning, Fadahunsi said he honoured the invitation and used the opportunity to clarify his statement.
“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,” he said.
The two-term senator also expressed concern over the security situation in Osun East, alleging that Governor Adeleke was turning the senatorial district into a battleground while Ede, the governor’s hometown, remained peaceful.
Speaker Petitions IGP
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, over alleged threats involving APC candidates.
Egbedun also criticised Fadahunsi over the alleged inciting statement against Accord Party members in Ijesaland.
The Speaker said he had petitioned the IGP over what he described as disturbing statements, threats, intimidation, harassment and alleged attempts to suppress voters ahead of the election.
Speaking at a press conference at the House of Assembly Complex, Egbedun said the situation had raised concerns over the safety of residents and the exercise of their democratic rights.
He also disclosed that he had filed a petition against the APC candidate for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, Francis Eniade.
According to Egbedun, statements attributed to Fadahunsi and Eniade in viral videos were unacceptable in a democratic society.
He said, “No political ambition is worth the life of one Osun citizen. I am particularly concerned about the video threat made by Francis Eniade, the APC House of Representatives candidate for the Ifelodun, Boripe and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency.”
Egbedun alleged that Eniade mentioned his name in the video and issued threats against him and other eligible voters in the constituency.
The Speaker urged the police to take the allegations seriously, insisting that the statements should not be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric but treated as matters raising serious concerns about threats to life and the safety of voters.
