Osun Poll: Lawmaker Urges Backers to Attack Rivals on Sight

A senator from Osun has ignited a firestorm by allegedly urging supporters to take drastic action against members of the Accord Party in the run-up to the governorship election on Saturday.

n

The lawmaker, a member of the All Progressives Congress, made these remarks in a video that was shared by Afrobeat singer David Adeleke, also known as Davido.

n

Davido posted the video on social media, identifying the speaker as a sitting senator and providing an English translation of the comments, which included the statement, "From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them.

n

The translation also included the senator's assertion that "I authorise you to kill them," as well as the observation that "They have wives and children too," in the context of the upcoming Federal Government election.

n

The senator was heard saying, "This is a Federal Government election, on election day, even if they come with voter cards, we won’t allow them to vote," in the video, which showed the person addressing supporters in Yoruba.

n

Another portion of the remarks, as translated, had the senator saying, "What kind of life is that? If we hear anything about Accord in Ilesa here, record me and go and tell them," and "When we tell them, the cap they are putting on is a bad one, yellow one."

n

The senator's comments, if accurately translated and presented in context, could exacerbate concerns about political violence and intimidation in Osun State, where voters are set to elect a governor, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform.

n

The development comes amid appeals by security agencies, political parties, and election stakeholders for supporters to eschew violence and ensure a peaceful electoral process, just days before the election.

n

Political tensions have escalated in Osun in the final days of the campaign, with rival camps trading allegations of political intimidation and inflammatory rhetoric.