Adeleke Demands Fadahunsi’s Arrest Over Alleged Threat Against Accord Members

OSOGBO — The political temperature in Osun State has risen sharply after Governor Ademola Adeleke called for the arrest and prosecution of Senator Francis Fadahunsi over an alleged threat against members of the Accord Party.

Adeleke made the demand on Tuesday as the state approaches Saturday’s governorship election, amid growing concerns over political violence and allegations of intimidation involving rival political camps.

The governor urged Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to order an immediate investigation into the senator’s alleged remarks and prosecute him if found culpable.

The controversy followed a viral video purportedly showing Fadahunsi addressing supporters of the All Progressives Congress during a protest over alleged killings of APC members in Ilesa.

Adeleke alleged that the senator went beyond political rhetoric by calling on APC supporters to attack members of the Accord Party. The governor further alleged that Fadahunsi directed supporters to target Accord leaders, members and their families if the political opponents could not be found.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the allegation has introduced another explosive dimension into an already bitterly contested election in Osun.

Speaking at the Government House Banquet Hall in Osogbo, Adeleke said the matter had moved beyond ordinary political disagreement.

“This is now beyond politics. This is now a national security threat that requires the attention of Mr President through the Office of the National Security Adviser,” the governor said.

Adeleke said he had already raised the matter with the Inspector-General of Police. According to him, Disu confirmed that the video existed and assured him that appropriate action would be taken.

The governor also called on the police and the Department of State Services to investigate the allegation of incitement against Fadahunsi. He accused security operatives, particularly the Intelligence Response Team, of conducting what he described as illegal operations against Accord leaders and supporters.

Adeleke alleged that Accord members had been arrested across several local government areas without sufficient justification. He therefore demanded that security agencies operate within the law and maintain neutrality before, during and after the election.

“We demand that the IGP enforce due process and fair policing by aborting all anti-people plots against democracy in Osun State,” Adeleke said.

The governor added that security agencies must act according to the rule of law and their constitutional responsibilities.

FADAHUNSI’S EXPLANATION

The allegation against Fadahunsi is not, however, standing uncontested. A related report carried by Vanguard quoted a clarification attributed to the senator, stating that he meant supporters should “kill Accord with votes,” rather than physically attack members of the party.

That distinction is now central to the controversy. If the video is authentic, investigators will have to establish precisely what was said, the context in which it was said and what the speaker intended.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the difference between a call for violence and a call to defeat an opponent politically is not a minor semantic issue. It is the dividing line between legitimate campaign rhetoric and conduct capable of threatening public safety.

The controversy also comes against a backdrop of previous allegations involving political violence in Osun. In July, Adeleke accused several opposition figures, including Fadahunsi, of promoting political violence and called for economic sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals he alleged were connected to attacks in the state.

Those allegations were also disputed by the opposition.There have also been clashes over the arrest of Accord supporters and political candidates. In one such case, the Accord campaign council accused security operatives of targeting its members and alleged that Fadahunsi was connected to the arrest of its House of Representatives candidate, Popoola Alaba.

The police rejected the allegation, saying Alaba’s arrest followed a petition concerning alleged illegal mining and other offences. Fadahunsi’s media adviser also denied any connection between the senator and the arrest.

These competing claims have created a dangerous information environment in which political parties increasingly interpret security operations through partisan lenses.

AN ELECTION UNDER PRESSURE

The dispute comes only days before Osun voters head to the polls. The 2026 contest has evolved into a fiercely competitive three-way battle involving Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.

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Fourteen political parties were cleared to participate in the election, while the PDP, under whose platform Adeleke won the 2022 election, is absent from the final list after its internal crisis disrupted its nomination process.

The political realignment has made the election particularly unpredictable. Former allies have changed camps. Prominent politicians have defected. Campaign structures have been reorganised, while accusations of intimidation and political violence have become increasingly prominent.

That is why the latest allegation involving Fadahunsi cannot simply be dismissed as another political quarrel. Neither can an allegation of this gravity be treated as established fact merely because a viral video exists.

The proper response is investigation.If the senator’s words were taken out of context, the investigation should establish that clearly. If the video demonstrates an actual incitement to violence, the law should take its course.

The same standard must apply to every politician and every political party.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Osun does not need another election defined by bloodshed, intimidation or retaliatory politics. The responsibility now lies with the police, DSS, political parties and their supporters to ensure that campaign rhetoric does not become a trigger for violence.

An election is ultimately about votes, not victims. And when politicians begin fighting for power at the expense of the safety of ordinary citizens, democracy itself becomes the casualty.