Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called on the United States, United Kingdom and Canada to impose sanctions on Senator Francis Fadaunsi over alleged threats against members of the Accord Party ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
Adeyanju said he had petitioned the three countries over comments allegedly made by the senator.
He wants the foreign governments to consider visa restrictions and other measures against Fadaunsi if the allegations are established.
The lawyer made the demand while appearing on Arise TV’s Prime Time, where he discussed the political situation in Osun State and the growing tension ahead of the governorship poll.
The controversy centres on comments attributed to Fadaunsi concerning members of the Accord Party.
Adeyanju described the alleged remarks as disturbing and said they could heighten political tension in the state.
“Again, that takes me to the unfortunate remarks that we’ve just heard of Senator Fadaunsi, very regrettably threatening that members of the Accord Party be killed,” Adeyanju said.
He further alleged that the senator’s remarks could encourage attacks against political opponents.
Adeyanju said such statements should not be ignored, particularly at a time when political activities are increasing across Osun.
The lawyer said he had therefore decided to draw the attention of the governments of the US, UK and Canada to the matter.
According to him, the countries have previously expressed concern about political violence and democratic setbacks in Nigeria.Nigerian election coverage
Human Rights Lawyer, Deji Adeyanju
Adeyanju argued that international pressure could help discourage politicians from making statements capable of provoking violence during elections.
He also urged the major contenders in the Osun governorship election to publicly reject violence and threats against their opponents. He said political competition should not become a reason for attacks on members of rival parties.
“For a very long time, we’ve not witnessed this level of violence preceding an election,” he said.
Fadaunsi is a prominent political figure in Osun and represents the Osun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
He was previously a member of the Peoples Democratic Party before defecting to the All Progressives Congress in July 2025 alongside three other senators.
His defection followed disagreements within the PDP and was announced on the floor of the Senate.
Adeyanju also spoke about the recent Arise Town Hall session on the Osun governorship election.
He criticised the performance of the African Democratic Congress candidate, saying the candidate made several campaign promises without adequately explaining how they would be achieved.
The lawyer, however, had a different assessment of the APC candidate. He described the candidate’s approach as more forceful, particularly in the way he challenged the incumbent administration over its management of the state’s resources.APC party information
Governor Ademola Adeleke also received praise from Adeyanju.APC party information
According to the lawyer, the governor performed better because he attempted to explain some of the projects carried out by his administration.
Adeyanju said Adeleke’s presentation gave him a stronger impression than those of the other candidates who participated in the town hall.
He eventually scored the performance “60/40” in favour of Adeleke over the APC candidate.
Adeyanju also referred to allegations raised by Adeleke during the programme concerning alleged infractions by the APC.
He said some of the allegations had already generated discussions on social media, including claims that politicians were attempting to interfere with the democratic process.
Politics Nigeria recalls that the senator had been involved in heated exchanges with APC lawmakers over governance and financial issues in Osun.Nigerian news alerts
In 2020, for instance, APC lawmakers accused him of “scare mongering” after he raised concerns about the state’s finances and the use of a $20 million World Bank grant.
Fadaunsi rejected the criticism and continued to demand explanations from the state government.
The latest allegations, however, relate directly to the forthcoming governorship election and the conduct of politicians during the campaign period.
Adeyanju is now asking the US, UK and Canadian authorities to examine the allegations and consider appropriate sanctions against Fadaunsi.Nigerian election coverage
He also appealed to the political parties and their candidates to avoid inflammatory statements as the election approaches.
The lawyer said the focus should remain on issues affecting residents of Osun rather than threats, intimidation or violence.
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