•Senator Francis Fadahunsi
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought have called for a thorough investigation into allegations of inciting violence against Senator Francis Fadahunsi, following statements reportedly made during the build-up to Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The civil society organisations also commended the people of Osun State for their resilience and participation in the election, while praising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the poll, reports Vanguard.
They made the demands yesterday at a joint press conference in Abuja to assess the outcome of the election and its implications for Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr Andrew Mamedu, and Director of The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr Sam Amadi, who addressed the briefing, expressed concern over what they described as violent rhetoric allegedly attributed to Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District.
According to the organisations, the senator was reportedly heard in a statement delivered in Yoruba, allegedly directing supporters to attack members of the Accord Party they encountered in the area, including voters.
The CSOs said such statements, if established, should be treated seriously by law enforcement agencies, regardless of the political affiliation of the person involved.
They called on the Nigeria Police Force to thoroughly investigate the allegations and ensure that appropriate legal action was taken if credible evidence established an offence.
“First, we congratulate the people of Osun State for a largely peaceful and successful election. Although we continue to expect higher voter turnout in elections in Nigeria, we note that voter participation in Osun was encouraging.
“This is positive for our democracy. However, about a million Osun voters who collected their Permanent Voter Cards did not vote. This should concern all Nigerians committed to strengthening democracy,” they said.
The organisations suggested that some voters may have been discouraged by violence and inflammatory rhetoric preceding the election, stressing the need to address the factors that contribute to voter apathy.
“Of particular concern is the public statement attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, in which he reportedly told supporters to seek out and kill members of the Accord Party they encountered in the area, including voters. The statement was reportedly communicated in Yoruba,” they said.
The CSOs said any verified threat against citizens on account of their political choices would constitute a serious concern for democratic governance.
“That a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could publicly make a statement encouraging violence against political opponents raises serious concerns about the growing normalisation of violent rhetoric in our politics,” they said.
They added that the reported call for the statement to be recorded, if verified, would make the allegation even more concerning.
The organisations stressed that political leaders had a responsibility to exercise restraint and promote peaceful participation regardless of party affiliation.
They said allegations of threats against citizens because of their political affiliation or choices should be investigated under relevant Nigerian laws and dealt with through due process.
“We acknowledge reports that the Police have interviewed Senator Fadahunsi. However, the matter should not end with an interview.
“The allegations should be thoroughly investigated and, where the evidence establishes an offence, appropriate charges should follow,” they said.
The CSOs argued that the Osun case provided an opportunity for law enforcement agencies to address what they described as a culture of impunity surrounding electoral offences.
“Impunity is at the heart of electoral violence, and failure to investigate and prosecute electoral offences creates incentives for political actors to resort to threats, violence and criminality in pursuit of power,” they said.
They noted that repeated failure to sanction electoral offences could undermine public confidence in elections and weaken democratic institutions.
The organisations also urged the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that the investigation was handled transparently, professionally and without political interference.
They called for the case file to be forwarded to the appropriate prosecutorial authorities if sufficient evidence was established.
The groups also urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to uphold the rule of law and ensure that violations were addressed without fear or favour.
According to them, the federal government should use the development to send a clear message to political actors ahead of the 2027 elections that threats, incitement and violations of citizens’ constitutional rights would not be tolerated.
The organisations, however, stressed that concerns over inflammatory rhetoric should not be limited to a single political party or individual.
“Senator Fadahunsi is not the only political actor whose rhetoric has raised concerns. Across political parties, Nigerians have witnessed statements threatening opponents, attempts to restrict political activity and rhetoric capable of creating fear among citizens.
“These actions must be confronted consistently,” they said.
They maintained that the rights to freedom of movement, association, expression and political participation were guaranteed to all Nigerians and should be protected irrespective of political affiliation.
The organisations further urged political parties, security agencies, civil society groups and other stakeholders to work towards ensuring a peaceful electoral environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
