Osun State Police Command has summoned the lawmaker representing Osun East in the Senate, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, over threat he reportedly issued against members of the Accord Party ahead of the Saturday’s governorship poll in the state.
The spokesperson for the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, during a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday confirmed that the lawmaker has been summoned by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Etaifo.
Ojelabi said, “I can confirm that he (Fadahunsi) has been summoned by the CP. We will make a statement available regarding it.”
The PUNCH reports that the lawmaker and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo Otin Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections, Francis Eniade, came under fire on Tuesday for issuing a threat against the Accord Party members ahead of the next Saturday’s governorship poll.
In a video that circulated on the social media on Tuesday, Fadahunsi, who spoke in Yoruba language, said that any Accord member sighted in Ilesha, Osun State, before Saturday when the election will hold will be killed.
Sources at the scene where Fadahunsi made the controversial speech, told The PUNCH that the lawmaker spoke at the palace of Owa Obokun of Ijesaland in Ilesa, during a protest organised against an alleged killing of three members of the All Progressives Congress in Ilesa on Tuesday.
Speaking in Yoruba language, Fadahunsi said, “How many people have you seen the APC kill? We are here to tell you that until the day of the election, If we see any Accord member in Ilesa, we will kill them.”
another viral video also obtained on Tuesday, Eniade, who was also addressing a campaign rally, said no Accord member should come out to vote in Odo Otin Local Government Area on the day of the election.
Eniade, who also spoke in Yoruba language, said “I was only waiting for today before I talked. I swear to God, anyone who is not an APC member should not come out on election day. If you said you won’t listen to us, we have warned you ahead. All the votes in Odo-Otin belong to the APC.
“Tell Egbedun (Osun House of Assembly Speaker) that I don’t have his time. I am his elder brother. Accord Party can’t vote in Odo-Otin. I am the one who said so. To the APC members, go back to your ward and unit and tell them that anybody who is not an APC member should not come out to vote.”
Reacting to Fadahunsi’s threat, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, while addressing journalists in Osogbo, demanded the lawmaker’s arrest, saying his utterances can lead to mass killing.
The governor said he had raised the matter with the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, subsequently demanded Fadahunsi’s investigation and arrest, adding that the IGP confirmed the existence of the video and assured him of immediate action.
“The second issue has to do with the viral video of a serving Senator, Francis Fadahunsi, who today called for the killing of Accord Party leaders, supporters and their families. In the video, the Senator even threatened that where they cannot get Accord Party leaders, they should kill their wives and children.
“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 Adviser,” the governor said.
I was misinterpreted – Fadahunsi
Reacting, PUNCH had also reported that Fadahunsi in a statement, said his message in the viral video was misinterpreted, saying the video was manipulated to paint him in bad light.
Fadahunsi in a statement personally signed by him said his attention has been drawn to an edited video being circulated by Davido on TikTok and Pelumi Olajengbesi on other social media platforms.
He said, “I made reference to one Rogba, who was killed in Esa-Oke by his co-cultists. The governor had referred to the deceased as his son and was also engaged in a disagreement with a sitting member of the House of Representatives on live television. My statement was very clear: if the killings do not stop, we shall also retaliate.
“All those being killed are Nigerians and, indeed, sons and daughters of the same communities. I stated unequivocally that if our party members are killed again, we will not simply fold our arms and watch. We will defend our people, even if such an incident occurs on election day.
Unfortunately, Davido and Olajengbesi took less than two minutes from a speech that lasted about 24 minutes and circulated it to achieve cheap political objectives. This is a clear case of deliberate misrepresentation and manipulation.”