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The African Democratic Congress has blamed President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the controversial remarks attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Fadahunsi may have interpreted Tinubu’s earlier remark that “all is fair in politics” as approval for political actors to do whatever is necessary to secure electoral victory.
Abdullahi made the allegation while appearing on Arise News on Wednesday, insisting that the president should be held responsible for the message political actors may have taken from his statement.
“I don’t want to blame Senator Fadahunsi. I blame President Bola Tinubu. He got his imprimatur for what he said from President Bola Tinubu. He got his authorisation from President Bola Tinubu,” Abdullahi said.
Fadahunsi, who represents the Osun East Senatorial District, was recently invited by the Osun State Police Command for questioning over comments he made at an APC campaign rally in Ilesa.
The remarks were interpreted as a call for attacks against members of the rival Accord Party, prompting political reactions and calls for police action.
Abdullahi argued that when a president makes a statement such as “all is fair in politics,” political actors who look up to him could interpret it as permission to cross acceptable boundaries in pursuit of victory.
“When the President of the Federal Republic says ‘all is fair in politics,’ it means that you can maim, you can kill, you can steal, you can do whatever it takes, just deliver victory.
“A president doesn’t need to say everything. When a president says ‘all is fair in politics,’ you are authorising any kind of behaviour. A subordinate, someone who looks up to you, can interpret it anywhere they like,” he said.
Tinubu made the remark on July 28 while receiving the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The president was speaking about the 2027 general election and warned political opponents seeking to unseat him that he would not surrender without a fight, saying, “All is fair in a democratic contest.”
Abdullahi’s comments come as political tension continues to rise in Osun ahead of Saturday’s election, with the major parties intensifying their campaigns and mobilising supporters across the state.
The ADC spokesman also expressed confidence that his party could win the election if the process is conducted freely and fairly.
The party is fielding Najeem Salaam as its candidate in the governorship election.
“If this is going to be a free and fair election, ADC will win this election,” Abdullahi said.
However, he raised concerns over what he described as the “militarisation” of Osun’s political space, arguing that the deployment of armed security personnel had raised questions about the credibility of the electoral process.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, with political parties and security agencies making final preparations for the poll.
