Widespread public outrage has erupted across Osun State following the emergence of a viral video in which Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, explicitly instructed supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt down and kill members of the rival Accord Party in Ilesa ahead of the state’s governorship election.
Addressing a gathering of APC loyalists in Ilesa on Tuesday, the federal lawmaker a prominent campaigner for APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji in the August 15 poll issued an open directive targeting political opponents. Daring attendees to video-record his speech and broadcast it on social media, Fadahunsi declared in Yoruba, “If you see any Accord Party member in Ilesa from now on to the day of the election, kill them.”
Although his statement drew loud cheers from followers wearing APC-branded caps, it sparked immediate, widespread condemnation from political stakeholders, legal experts, and civil society groups, who characterized the rhetoric as inciting, anti-democratic, and a direct assault on public safety.
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Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesperson for the campaign council of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, strongly condemned the senator’s vitriolic order and called for urgent intervention by federal law enforcement. Olajengbesi urged the Inspector-General of Police to investigate and address the matter immediately, emphasizing that the command represents a grave threat to human life and the peaceful conduct of the election. He stressed that no individual has the legal authority to order extrajudicial killings or intimidate citizens out of exercising their democratic franchise.
The controversial footage has also provoked intense backlash from Osun State indigenes on social media, with citizens voicing frustration over political violence and selective law enforcement. Local commentator Wale Akintoye criticized the police for failing to act against ruling figures while targeting opposition members, questioning how a sitting senator could openly issue death sentences without consequence. Other citizens, including Adenike Bekky and Bukky Stephen, reminded the lawmaker that political mandates originate from the electorate and asserted that telling attendees to record his statements suggested he felt above the law.
With electoral tensions mounting ahead of the August vote, civil society organizations and local residents continue to demand that security agencies hold Fadahunsi accountable, enforce the rule of law without bias, and safeguard all political participants across Osun State.
Athekame Kenneth is a politics, economy, and finance reporter whose work is anchored in sharp investigative storytelling. He brings analytical depth to every piece, drawing on a strong academic foundation that includes a degree in Economics, an MBA in International Trade, and a minor in Petroleum Economics from Lagos State University, Ojo. His reporting blends rigorous research with a keen eye for hidden truths, delivering stories that illuminate power, policy, and the forces shaping everyday lives.
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