Amnesty International Nigeria has vowed to make Senator Francis Fadahunsi an example to Nigeria’s political class over his alleged inciting remarks ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
Isa Sanusi, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said the organisation would “use” the senator as a deterrent to politicians who make inflammatory statements capable of triggering electoral violence.
Sanusi made the declaration on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday while reacting to a viral video in which Fadahunsi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Osun East, allegedly directed supporters to kill members of the Accord Party.
“We are going to use him as an example. We have had so many terrible politicians say terrible things ahead of the election,” Sanusi said.
“But this one is exceptional, a situation where somebody came out on record, saying that ‘kill them wherever you find them’.”
Fadahunsi has come under intense public scrutiny following the controversy, with the Osun State Police Command summoning him on Tuesday. The senator was subsequently grilled for about two hours on Wednesday over the alleged remarks.
Sanusi said Amnesty International would not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet, insisting that political influence should not shield individuals accused of encouraging violence.
According to him, the organisation would escalate the matter internationally and expose the senator’s alleged conduct across the countries where Amnesty International operates.
He said the organisation would continue its campaign for accountability, arguing that advocacy of hatred and incitement to violence violate both international standards and Nigerian law.
“I believe that that person does not deserve any peace again, because advocacy of hatred is a crime under international law as well as Nigerian laws,” Sanusi said.
“Therefore, we are going to use this man as an example to show that the impunity by Nigerian politicians cannot continue and we cannot tolerate it again.”
Amnesty International Nigeria had on Wednesday condemned Fadahunsi’s alleged remarks, saying authorities have a responsibility to prohibit advocacy of hatred where it amounts to incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence.
The rights organisation described the comments attributed to the senator as reckless and accused him of making statements capable of inflaming tensions ahead of the election.
“Senator Fadahunsi must be held accountable,” Amnesty International said.
Sanusi warned that the Osun election must not become another flashpoint for political violence, stressing that inflammatory rhetoric from political actors could have deadly consequences if left unchecked.
With the election scheduled for Saturday, pressure is mounting on authorities to investigate the allegations against Fadahunsi and determine whether his comments breached Nigeria’s laws governing electoral conduct and incitement.
Amnesty’s latest threat signals that the controversy may extend far beyond Osun, with the organisation preparing to use the case as a test of whether Nigeria’s political elite can be held accountable for inflammatory rhetoric during elections.
