Amnesty International Vows to Name, Shame Fadahunsi, Other Politicians over Election Violence

Wale Igbintade

Amnesty International Nigeria has announced plans to intensify its campaign against politicians accused of making inflammatory statements capable of triggering violence during elections, with Senator Francis Fadahunsi becoming a key case in the organisation’s campaign.

The organisation’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi,  said yesterday that Amnesty would use the controversy surrounding the Osun East Senator’s viral video to demonstrate that political figures must be held accountable for statements capable of inciting violence.

Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has been at the centre of controversy over a video circulating online in which he was allegedly heard urging his supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The senator has rejected the allegation, saying his remarks were taken out of context after the video was edited.

He has maintained that his reference to “killing” the Accord Party was political, meaning that voters should defeat the party at the polls, rather than physically attack its members.

Speaking during a television interview yesterday, Sanusi condemned the remarks attributed to the senator and warned that Amnesty would pursue accountability for politicians who use rhetoric capable of encouraging electoral violence.

He said, “We are going to use him as an example because this is the first time. We had so many other terrible politicians say terrible things ahead of elections, but this one is exceptional.”

Sanusi argued that an alleged instruction to “kill them wherever you find them” constituted an unacceptable form of political rhetoric, stressing that advocacy of hatred was prohibited under both Nigerian law and international law.

He said Amnesty would not limit its campaign to Nigeria, but would also expose politicians it believes promote electoral violence through its international network.

“We will do an international name-and-shame of those advocating for electoral violence. Amnesty International has branches in 150 countries. We will ensure they are named and shamed in those countries and alert their governments to how dangerous these people are,” Sanusi said.

According to him, stronger accountability for politicians making such statements was necessary to prevent a repeat of election-related violence and establish a higher standard of conduct ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The controversy surrounding Fadahunsi has intensified in the final days of the Osun governorship election, with the senator summoned by the police over the viral footage.

He appeared at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday for questioning and was later released.

Addressing journalists after the session, Fadahunsi again denied calling for physical attacks on political opponents, insisting that his statement was a metaphor for defeating the Accord Party through the ballot.

He said his reference to “killing” was directed at the party as a political force and not at its members, supporters or their families.

The dispute has consequently shifted beyond the content of the viral recording to broader concerns over the use of inflammatory language by political actors during election campaigns, particularly as parties mobilise supporters for the August 15 governorship poll.