Amnesty International Demands Probe of Fadahunsi over Alleged Incitement

Amnesty International, the international human rights organization, has called for an urgent investigation into alleged inflammatory remarks made by Senator Francis Fadahunsi in the lead-up to the Osun State governorship election. The organization expressed concern over the potential for violence and urged authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry into the matter.

According to Amnesty International, Fadahunsi was heard in a viral video urging his supporters to "kill" members of the Accord Party ahead of the election. The senator has denied advocating for physical violence, claiming that his remarks were taken out of context due to editing. He maintains that his reference to "killing" the Accord Party was figurative, urging voters to defeat the party in the polls rather than resorting to violence.

Amnesty International's Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, condemned the remarks and warned that the organization would pursue accountability for politicians whose rhetoric could encourage electoral violence. He stated that this case was exceptional, as the organization had previously observed other politicians making inflammatory statements ahead of elections.

Sanusi emphasized that advocacy of hatred and incitement to violence are prohibited under Nigerian and international law. He also announced that Amnesty International would use its international network to draw attention to politicians it deemed promoters of electoral violence. The organization has branches in 150 countries and aims to "name and shame" such individuals in those nations, alerting their governments to the dangers posed by their rhetoric.

Sanusi argued that stronger accountability for politicians who make inflammatory statements is necessary to deter election-related violence and establish higher standards of political conduct ahead of the 2027 general election.