Amnesty International has vowed to make Senator Francis Fadahunsi an example in its campaign against political incitement, after an alleged “kill them” remark attributed to the lawmaker triggered controversy ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election. The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, saying […]
Amnesty International has vowed to make Senator Francis Fadahunsi an example in its campaign against political incitement, after an alleged “kill them” remark attributed to the lawmaker triggered controversy ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, saying the organisation would pursue accountability over the allegation and ensure the matter receives international attention.
Sanusi said Amnesty would publicise the case across the 150 countries where the organisation operates, arguing that political figures must not be allowed to make statements capable of provoking violence without facing consequences. He said the organisation had dealt with numerous inflammatory comments by politicians but considered the Fadahunsi case particularly serious because of the nature of the alleged statement.
The controversy followed the circulation of a video on social media allegedly showing Fadahunsi, an APC senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, making remarks interpreted as a call for violence against members of the Accord Party. The allegation has since generated widespread criticism as political parties intensify their activities ahead of the election.
The Osun State Police Command has also taken an interest in the matter, summoning the senator on Tuesday before questioning him for about two hours on Wednesday. The police action followed the controversy surrounding the video and the alleged comments attributed to the lawmaker.
According to Sanusi, Amnesty International regards advocacy of hatred and incitement to violence as serious violations that demand an appropriate response from the authorities. He said the organisation would continue to push for accountability and challenge what it described as a culture of impunity among political actors.
Amnesty had earlier issued a statement condemning the alleged remarks and calling for Fadahunsi to be held accountable. The organisation said the senator was allegedly captured during a campaign instructing supporters to kill members of the Accord Party, describing the alleged comments as reckless and warning that such rhetoric could contribute to electoral violence.
The organisation also urged Nigerian authorities to urgently condemn statements advocating violence, whether made physically during political campaigns or disseminated through online platforms. Amnesty said firm action was necessary to prevent inflammatory rhetoric from escalating into hostility, discrimination or violence.
The latest development comes as Osun enters the final stretch of the governorship race, with political activities intensifying across the state. The election has already drawn warnings from stakeholders and observers over hate speech, vote-buying, intimidation and other practices that could threaten a peaceful poll, making the controversy surrounding Fadahunsi another major flashpoint ahead of Saturday’s election.