OSUN ELECTION: Amnesty International Vows to Pursue Accountability Over Fadahunsi’s Alleged Remarks

Osun Election: Amnesty International Vows to Pursue Accountability Over Fadahunsi’s Alleged Remarks

Osun Election: Amnesty Says Fadahunsi Must Face Consequences Over Alleged Incitement

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

The organisation said it would use the case to demonstrate that political actors could be held accountable for statements capable of inciting violence during elections.

The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, stated this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday while reacting to a video circulating on social media in which Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, was allegedly heard making remarks interpreted as a call for violence against members of the Accord Party.

Fadahunsi, a member of the All Progressives Congress, has faced criticism following the circulation of the video.

The Osun State Police Command summoned the senator on Tuesday over the alleged remarks and questioned him for about two hours on Wednesday.

Speaking on the development, Sanusi said Amnesty International would pursue the matter as part of its campaign against political impunity and inflammatory rhetoric.

“We are going to use him as an example. We have had so many terrible politicians say terrible things ahead of the election,” he said.

“But this one is exceptional, a situation where somebody came out on record, saying that ‘kill them wherever you find them’.”

Sanusi said Amnesty International considered advocacy of hatred and incitement to violence serious matters requiring an appropriate response from relevant authorities.

He said the organisation would continue to demand accountability from political actors whose statements could threaten public safety and peaceful elections.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Amnesty seeks accountability

Sanusi said the organisation would ensure that the case received international attention as part of efforts to discourage political actors from making statements capable of triggering violence.

Amnesty International Nigeria had earlier condemned the alleged remarks and warned that authorities had a responsibility to address advocacy of hatred where it amounted to incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence.

In a statement published on its X account on Wednesday, the organisation called for Fadahunsi to be held accountable.

“Amnesty International strongly condemns Francis Fadahunsi (APC) — senator representing the Osun East Senatorial District, who was on video during campaign, instructing his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election,” the organisation said.

It described the alleged remarks as reckless and warned that they could contribute to violence during the election.

The organisation urged Nigerian authorities to take urgent action against statements advocating violence, whether made during political campaigns or disseminated through online platforms.

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

The controversy comes amid heightened political activities across Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Election stakeholders and observers have continued to warn against hate speech, vote-buying, intimidation and other activities capable of undermining a peaceful and credible electoral process.