Osun Election: Adeleke Campaign Council Demands Arrest Of Senator Fadahunsi Over ‘threat To Kill Accord Supporters’

 

The council described the incitement and threats against Accord members and their families as “despicable” and condemned them in the strongest terms.

The Imole Campaign Council (TICC), the campaign organisation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi over an alleged threat to kill members and supporters of the Accord Party in Ijeshaland ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The campaign council made the demand in a statement issued on Tuesday, signed by its Chairman, Media and Publicity, Rep. Bamidele Salam.

The council said it was “gravely alarmed and disturbed” by a trending video allegedly showing Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, inciting members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack or kill members and supporters of the Accord Party wherever they are found in Ijeshaland.

According to the campaign council, the video had been confirmed by several individuals and corroborated information it had gathered over the past few weeks concerning the movement of suspected thugs, hoodlums and individuals posing as police officers into Ilase, the senator’s hometown, as well as other communities across Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West local government areas.

The council described the incitement and threats against Accord members and their families as “despicable” and condemned them in the strongest terms.

It also stated that, in the same video, Fadahunsi boasted about access to federal power and threatened to prevent Accord supporters from voting, even if they presented their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at polling units on election day.

“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 Security order the arrest of Senator Fadahunsi and prosecute him in accordance with relevant laws of the Federation,” the campaign office said.

The Adeleke campaign further called on all security agencies deployed for Saturday’s election to pay particular attention to the six local government areas in Ijeshaland, stressing the need to protect the lives and property of party members, supporters and other law-abiding residents who will participate in the election.

The council also demanded that security agencies investigate and remove armed thugs and “fake policemen” quartered in Ilase-Ijesha and other parts of Ijeshaland.

According to the campaign council, the alleged deployment of such individuals was linked to the senator representing Osun East Senatorial District.

The council warned that it would hold Fadahunsi accountable for any violence recorded against Accord members in Ijeshaland or other parts of Osun State.

“Let it be on record that as a party, we will hold Senator Ade Francis Fadahunsi responsible for any act of violence against any member of Accord in Ijeshaland and indeed in other parts of the state and we will take all lawful steps to make Senator Fadahunsi account for any acts of killing and violence in accordance with local and international law,” it said.

The campaign council also drew the attention of the Inspector-General of Police to the activities of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), claiming that Fadahunsi had repeatedly boasted of using the unit to harass, intimidate and arrest Accord Party leaders.

It explained that an aide of the senator identified as ASP Wemimo had, in recent weeks, led IRT personnel to the homes of Accord leaders in Ijeshaland.

The council further alleged that Fadahunsi’s team abducted its House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola, on his instructions, and claimed police had yet to release him.

However, it urged security agencies to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action where wrongdoing is established.

The council also appealed to residents of Ijeshaland to remain peaceful and law-abiding while urging them not to be intimidated by alleged threats ahead of the governorship election.

It called on eligible voters to come out en masse on Saturday and exercise their constitutional right to vote for the political party of their choice.

SOURCE: SAHARA REPORTERS