Senator’s death threat video sparks outrage ahead of Osun poll
Senator Francis Fadahunsi has sparked outrage after a viral video showed him telling supporters to kill any Accord Party member they see ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has ignited a political firestorm after a viral video surfaced showing him instructing supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. In the footage, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, addressing a crowd in Yoruba, declared: “From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorise you to kill them. They have wives and children too”.
He further warned: “If we hear anything about Accord in Ilesa here, record me and go and tell them... from now till the election day, if we see them, kill them o”. The senator also boasted about access to federal power and threatened to prevent Accord supporters from voting, even if they presented their Permanent Voter Cards. “This is a Federal Government election. On election day, even if they come with voters card, we won’t allow them to vote,” he said in translated remarks.
Calls for Arrest
The Imole Campaign Council, the campaign organisation of Governor Ademola Adeleke who is seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform, has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Fadahunsi. The council described the incitement as “despicable” and condemned it in the strongest terms. “Coming from a serving member of the National Assembly who swore to uphold the Constitution... we demand that the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Security order the arrest of Senator Fadahunsi,” the council said.
The campaign council further called on security agencies to pay particular attention to the six local government areas in Ijeshaland and warned that it would hold Fadahunsi accountable for any violence against Accord members.
Broader Context
The video was shared widely on social media, including by Afrobeats star Davido, who is Adeleke’s nephew. Governor Adeleke, who left the PDP to join the Accord Party due to internal crises, is seeking a second term. Fadahunsi had previously defected from the PDP to the APC in 2025.
The senator’s remarks come amid heightened political tension and growing concerns over violence and intimidation during the electoral process. The Accord Party has been involved in a series of controversies and confrontations in the state in recent months. In July, the Imole Campaign Council accused security operatives allegedly linked to Fadahunsi of arresting Accord leaders.
This echoes the 2018 Osun election campaigns, which were also marred by threats and violence. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a tense political environment and fears of electoral violence. Fadahunsi has not publicly withdrawn or clarified his remarks.
The winners: none. The losers: the people of Osun, who face the prospect of election violence; the Accord Party, whose members have been threatened; and Nigerian democracy, which suffers when elected officials incite violence.
Bottom Line: A senator has threatened to kill opposition supporters. The video is viral. The police are under pressure to act. The question is whether the law will be enforced or the threats will go unpunished.