…says Accord candidate still in Police custody
The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has called on law enforcement authorities to arrest and prosecute the Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, over an alleged death threats and incitement to violence against members and supporters of the Accord Party.
In a press statement signed by the Chairman of Media and Publicity for the campaign council, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the organization expressed grave alarm over a viral video in which Senator Fadahunsi was allegedly seen and heard urging All Progressives Congress (APC) members to kill Accord Party supporters across Ijeshaland.
According to the campaign council, the video corroborates reports gathered over recent weeks regarding the alleged influx of thugs, hoodlums, and fake police officers into Ilase, the senator’s hometown as well as several communities across the Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East, and Atakumosa West Local Government Areas.
The statement condemned the alleged open incitement and threats directed at the lives of Accord members and their families, describing the conduct as despicable.
The campaign council further noted that Senator Fadahunsi invoked boasts of federal might in the video, threatening that thugs would prevent Accord supporters from voting on Saturday even if they present valid voter cards at polling units.
“Coming from a serving member of the National Assembly who swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we feel compelled to demand that the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services order the arrest of Senator Fadahunsi and prosecute him in accordance with relevant laws of the Federation,” the statement read.
TICC also urged all security formations deployed for Saturday’s election to pay heightened attention to the six local government areas in Ijeshaland to protect the lives of party members and other law-abiding citizens exercising their franchise.
The campaign council further requested that security agencies flush out armed thugs and impersonating police officers allegedly housed in Ilase-Ijesha and other parts of Ijeshaland by the lawmaker.
The statement warned that the campaign council will hold Senator Fadahunsi accountable for any act of violence or loss of life involving Accord members in Ijeshaland or elsewhere in the state, pledging to pursue all lawful and legal avenues to hold him responsible under local and international law.
The campaign council also urged the Inspector-General of Police to call the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) unit to order alleging that Senator Fadahunsi has repeatedly used the unit to harass, intimidate, and arrest Accord leaders.
The campaign council also specifically named an aide to the senator, identified as ASP Wemimo, as allegedly leading IRT personnel to the residences of Accord leaders in Ijeshaland over recent weeks.
The campaign council stated that its candidate for the House of Representatives, Alaba Popoola, was abducted by the team on Fadahunsi’s instructions and remains in police custody.
While urging law-abiding citizens across Ijeshaland to remain peaceful, TICC charged voters to defy the threats, maintain calm, and turn out in large numbers to vote for their candidate of choice in Saturday’s governorship election.