Senator representing Osun East in the National Assembly, Francis Fadahunsi, has arrived at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo upon invitation by police authorities for interrogation.
He arrived at about 2:35 p.m. in the company of the Commissioner of Police in charge of election and security, Samuel Erale.
This followed a viral video in which Fadahunsi was alleged to have directed his supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party, which has incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke as its governorship candidate.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Governor Adeleke accused Fadahunsi of inciting violence and “genocide” against members of the Accord Party, demanding a thorough investigation to prevent the actualisation of such threats.
He also demanded the “immediate arrest” of the lawmaker whose comment he described as a “national security threat”.
But Fadahunsi dismissed claims of inciting violence, stating that he was addressing the “continued killing of APC members” by alleged thugs in Ilesa, and maintaining that his party would “defend its people” if the violence persisted.
“The video was deliberately edited to distort what I actually said. What I said was that if the alleged killing of our party members by Accord Party thugs does not stop, our party will retaliate. I was referring to the continued violence and attacks against our members in Ilesa and other parts of the state,” Senator Fadahunsi stated.
However, Amnesty International on Wednesday called on the authorities to hold the senator accountable for allegedly “instructing his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election”.
The rights group, in a post on its X handle, described the remarks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker as “deliberate and solely aimed at inciting a bloody poll in Osun State”.
“The authorities must urgently denounce any statements, live, online or otherwise, which advocate violence.
“Senator Fadahunsi must be held accountable,” it added.
More to follow…