Osun Election: We’ll use Fadahunsi as example — Amnesty International

‏Amnesty International has vowed to pursue accountability against Senator Francis Fadahunsi over alleged inflammatory remarks ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

 

The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the organisation would use the case to demonstrate that political actors could not make statements capable of inciting violence without consequences.

 

Sanusi stated this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday while reacting to a viral video allegedly showing Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, calling on supporters to attack members of the Accord Party.

 

The senator, a member of the All Progressives Congress, has faced widespread criticism over the remarks. The Osun State Police Command subsequently summoned and questioned him for about two hours.

 

Sanusi said Amnesty International would pursue the matter and ensure it receives international attention across countries where the organisation operates.

 

“We are going to use him as an example. We have had so many terrible politicians say terrible things ahead of the election. But this one is exceptional, a situation where somebody came out on record, saying that ‘kill them wherever you find them’,” he said.

 

He described advocacy of hatred and incitement to violence as serious violations requiring firm action from authorities.

 

“I believe that that person does not deserve any peace again, because advocacy of hatred is a crime under international law as well as Nigerian laws,” Sanusi said.

 

He added that Amnesty International would use the case to challenge what he described as the culture of impunity among Nigerian politicians.

 

“Therefore, we are going to use this man as an example to show that the impunity by Nigerian politicians cannot continue and we cannot tolerate it again,” he said.

 

Amnesty demands accountability

 

In a statement published on its X account on Wednesday, Amnesty International had earlier called for Fadahunsi to be held accountable over the alleged remarks.

 

The organisation described the senator’s comments as reckless and warned that statements advocating violence could heighten tensions ahead of the election.

 

“The authorities must urgently denounce any statements, live, online or otherwise, which advocate violence,” Amnesty International said.

 

It also called on Nigerian authorities to take urgent action against political statements capable of inciting hostility, discrimination or violence, whether made during campaigns or circulated online.

 

The controversy comes amid heightened political tensions in Osun State, with political parties and election stakeholders warning against hate speech, intimidation, vote-buying and other acts capable of undermining a peaceful governorship election.