Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has moved to clear the air over his controversial “Kill Accord” remark, insisting that he was referring to defeating the Accord Party at the ballot box, not physically attacking its members.
The senator came under intense scrutiny after a video circulating on social media captured him speaking in Yoruba while accusing members of the Accord Party of attacking APC supporters and urging people gathered in Ilesa to confront them.
In the viral footage, Fadahunsi was also seen challenging those present to record his remarks and share them on social media.
The comments were reportedly made while the senator was addressing APC supporters in Ilesa ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
But in a statement issued by his media office in Osogbo on Tuesday, titled, “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells APC,” the senator insisted that his words were political and metaphorical.
The statement said Fadahunsi’s comment was “a call on supporters to overwhelmingly reject the Accord Party at the ballot box through lawful, peaceful and democratic means during the August 15 governorship election.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Senator’s statement was purely political and metaphorical,” the statement added.
Fadahunsi’s media office further rejected any interpretation suggesting that the senator was encouraging violence against members or supporters of the Accord Party or any other political organisation.
“At no point did Senator Fadahunsi advocate violence, intimidation or any form of physical attack against members or supporters of the Accord Party or any other political party. His consistent position has always been that elections should be decided by the votes of the people and not by force.
“The Senator, therefore, urges political actors, party supporters and the electorate to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the election. He also calls on security agencies to remain professional and ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their constitutional right without fear or intimidation.
“Senator Fadahunsi remains committed to democratic values, issue-based campaigns and a credible electoral process. He believes that the will of the people, freely expressed through the ballot, must always prevail.
“We, therefore, appeal to members of the public not to misinterpret or deliberately distort the Senator’s comments, as they were clearly intended to encourage electoral victory through the power of the ballot
and not through violence,” the statement concluded.
The senator also called on APC supporters and other political actors to maintain peace and respect the law before, during and after the election.
With the Osun governorship election approaching, Fadahunsi’s clarification seeks to draw a clear line between his use of the word “kill” as a political metaphor and any suggestion that he was calling for physical violence against Accord Party members.
