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Amnesty International Nigeria has vowed to make the senator representing the Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, an example in its campaign against politicians accused of promoting electoral violence ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
The organisation’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, said Amnesty International would pursue an international “name-and-shame” campaign against individuals advocating violence during elections.
Sanusi made the disclosure while discussing the controversy surrounding comments attributed to Fadahunsi, who was recently invited and questioned by the police over the remarks.
According to him, the senator was grilled for about two hours by the police, while Fadahunsi has subsequently claimed that the video containing the controversial remarks was generated using artificial intelligence.
Sanusi, however, said the organisation considered the case particularly serious because of the nature of the alleged statement.
“Yes, 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 the election. But this one is exceptional.”
He said the alleged call for people to be killed wherever they were found amounted to advocacy of hatred and should attract accountability.
“A situation whereby somebody came out on television, on record, saying ‘kill them wherever you find them’. I believe that that person does not deserve any peace again.”
Sanusi said advocacy of hatred was prohibited under both Nigerian law and international law, stressing that political influence should not shield individuals from consequences for inflammatory statements.
“Because advocacy of hatred is a crime under international law as well as Nigerian laws.”
He further disclosed that Amnesty International would take the matter beyond Nigeria by alerting its international network to politicians accused of advocating electoral violence.
“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 the move was intended to demonstrate that what he described as impunity among Nigerian politicians could no longer continue.
“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.”
He also urged Nigerians to demand accountability from political actors, particularly where government institutions fail to act.
“The people have to hold them to account if the government could not do that.”
