The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Senator Francis Fadahunsi of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over an alleged threat against members and supporters of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The campaign council, in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Chairman, Media and Publicity, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said it was alarmed by a viral video purportedly showing Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, making comments which the council interpreted as a call for violence against Accord supporters in Ijeshaland.
TICC alleged that the senator was heard in the video calling on APC members to attack Accord supporters wherever they were found in Ijeshaland, describing the alleged statement as inflammatory and capable of heightens tension ahead of the election.
The council said the development was particularly disturbing coming from a serving member of the National Assembly, who, according to it, had a constitutional responsibility to uphold the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Consequently, the campaign council urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the video and take appropriate legal action against the senator if the allegations were established.
TICC also raised concerns over what it described as the alleged movement of thugs, hoodlums and persons posing as police officers into parts of Ijeshaland, including Ilase, Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West Local Government Areas of the state.
According to the council, the alleged presence of such groups could undermine the peaceful conduct of the August 15 election and intimidate voters in the affected communities.
The campaign body therefore urged all security agencies deployed for the election to pay particular attention to Ijeshaland and ensure adequate protection for voters, political parties and other residents.
It further alleged that Senator Fadahunsi had boasted of access to federal power and threatened to prevent Accord supporters from voting even where they presented their Permanent Voter Cards at polling units.
The council also drew the attention of the police authorities to the alleged activities of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), claiming that some Accord leaders had been harassed and arrested in the area in recent weeks.
TICC specifically alleged that an aide of the senator, identified as ASP Wemimo, had led IRT personnel to the residences of some Accord leaders, while also alleging that the party’s House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola, was abducted by the team and had yet to regain his freedom.
The campaign council said it would hold Senator Fadahunsi responsible for any violence against Accord members in Ijeshaland or other parts of Osun State, stressing that it would pursue all lawful avenues to seek accountability.
Meanwhile, TICC urged residents of Ijeshaland not to be intimidated by the alleged threats, calling on eligible voters to remain peaceful and turn out in large numbers on Saturday to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
