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• Davido sends SOS message to Trump •PSC deploys monitors
From Beifoh Osewele, Molly Kilete, Abuja and Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Four days to the Osun governorship election, tension escalated yesterday following a viral video in which Senator Francis Fadahunsi was alleged to have called for the killing of Accord Party members and their families.
The alleged statement sparked an immediate political backlash, with Governor Ademola Adeleke demanding the arrest and prosecution of the senator, even as he accused security agencies of plotting to arrest leaders of his party ahead of Saturday’s election.
Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, was said to have made the remarks at a political gathering in Ilesa.
Afrobeat singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, who shared the video on social media, described the lawmaker as a sitting senator and provided an English translation of the senator’s remarks.
According to the translation shared by Davido, “From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorise you to kill them. They have wives and children, too.
“This is a Federal Government election. On election day, even if they come with voter cards, we won’t allow them to vote.”
In another portion of the remarks, according to the translation, the Senator said, “What kind of life is that? If we hear anything about Accord in Ilesa here, record me and go and tell them.
“When we tell them, the cap they are putting on is a bad one, yellow one.
“So, we have come to tell you now, from now till the election day, if we see them, kill them o.”
The allegation has further raised fears of violence in a state already witnessing an intense battle for the governorship between Adeleke of the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, among others.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, Adeleke described the alleged statement as a matter that had gone beyond partisan politics and required urgent intervention by security agencies.
“The second issue has to do with the viral video of a serving Senator, Francis Fadahunsi, who today called for the killing of Accord Party leaders, supporters, and their families,” Adeleke said.
The governor said he had reported the matter to the Inspector-General of Police, who, according to him, confirmed being aware of the video and assured him that action would be taken.
“This is now beyond politics. This is now a national security threat that requires the attention of Mr President through the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Adeleke said.
He called on the police and the Department of State Services to immediately investigate the senator and take appropriate action.
The governor’s demand came as he alleged a separate security operation targeting Accord Party leaders across the state.
Adeleke claimed that an internal police signal had directed the immediate arrest of some Accord leaders and their transfer to Abuja, where they would allegedly be detained until after the election.
He said he had raised the alleged directive with the Inspector-General of Police, warning that arresting political leaders on the eve of an election could undermine the credibility of the poll.
“I have spoken to the Inspector-General of Police about the reported directive to arrest Accord Party leaders. But I am appealing to him that this development, if true, is illegal and presents Nigeria as a lawless country,” he said.
“Arresting Accord Party leaders on the eve of an election amounts to the police helping and assisting the APC to rig the election.”
Adeleke further alleged that more than 62 leaders of his party were already in police detention without formal charges.
He demanded an end to what he described as illegal operations by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), accusing its operatives of arresting Accord supporters across several local government areas.
“We demand that the IGP enforce due process and fair policing by aborting all anti-people plots against democracy in Osun State,” the governor said.
He urged the police and other security agencies to remain neutral and operate within the law before, during and after the election.
•Adeleke unfazed by federal might
The governor had earlier declared that he was not intimidated by the support being mobilised for Oyebamiji by some governors and political heavyweights at the federal level.
Speaking at an Arise TV town hall meeting in Osogbo, Adeleke said the backing would not determine the outcome of the election.
“I am a bulldozer. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors,” he said.
He acknowledged that some of the governors campaigning for his opponent were his friends but said their presence in Osun would not automatically translate into votes.
“Those governors are my friends. I am a civilised administrator. They won’t vote; they can only come and dance, and after the election, we will meet,” he said.
Adeleke also rejected allegations that his administration had militarised the state.
“I did not militarise Osun. I have no such capacity. I am not the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces,” he said.
•Davido sends SOS message to Trump
Meanwhile, Davido has urged United States President, Donald Trump, to pay attention to the poll.
Davido made the appeal in a post on his X handle yesterday, expressing concerns over rising tension and the possibility of violence, intimidation and disruption of the democratic process ahead of the poll.
The post titled, “A CALL FOR ATTENTION TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP,” read, “President Donald Trump, I am calling your attention to the situation in Osun State, Nigeria, as we approach the election.
“There are growing concerns about tension and the possibility of violence, intimidation, or disruption of the democratic process. Osun people deserve to exercise their constitutional right to vote freely, peacefully, and without fear.
“I appeal to the United States and the international community to pay close attention to the election and encourage all relevant authorities to ensure that every voter is protected and every vote is respected.
“We do not want bloodshed. We do not want intimidation. We want peace, transparency, and a free and fair election. @realDonaldTrump.”
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•Oyebamiji demands account of N650bn
But Oyebamiji challenged the governor over the finances of the state, demanding an explanation of how federal allocations received since Adeleke assumed office had been spent.
The APC candidate disputed claims that the immediate past administration left an empty treasury, saying former Governor Gboyega Oyetola left about N15 billion for the incoming administration.
He claimed that Osun received about N450 billion during the combined 12-year administrations of former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Oyetola, compared with more than N650 billion received during Adeleke’s three-and-a-half years in office.“How does N650 billion match what we see in Osun today? Worse still, as of today in Osun, 97 percent of those resources go to just two local governments,” he said.
Oyebamiji attributed the increase in federal revenue to the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, promising greater fiscal discipline, transparency and equitable distribution of resources if elected.
•Accord crisis deepens
The election has also been complicated by an internal leadership dispute within the Accord Party.
Factional national chairman Chris Imumolen predicted Adeleke’s defeat and said the ongoing court battle over the party’s leadership could affect the governor even if he wins the election.
Imumolen said the case had returned to the Federal High Court in Abuja following proceedings at the Court of Appeal.
“We are expecting victory in the judgment very soon,” he said.
He maintained that the dispute concerned the legitimate leadership of the party and who had the authority to exercise its political mandate.
“Adeleke will lose at the polls. And if, against all expectations, he wins, the Accord leadership case will ultimately defeat him in court,” he said.
•APC steps up grassroots mobilisation
The APC has also intensified its grassroots campaign, with a socio-political group, Peculiar Peoples Progress, mobilising women for Oyebamiji.
The group distributed cash and food items to more than 200 women during an outreach in Ileogbo, Ayedire Local Government Area, and urged them to vote for the APC candidate.
The group’s leader, Ige Adeyanju, said women would play a major role in determining the outcome of the election and expressed confidence in Oyebamiji’s prospects.
•PSC deploys monitors
Amid the political tension, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has deployed a high-powered delegation to monitor police conduct before, during and after the election.
The delegation, led by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Taiwo Lakanu, a PSC board member and chairman of its Standing Committee on Police Matters, will monitor police personnel assigned to the election.
PSC Head of Protocol and Public Relations, Torty Kalu, said the deployment was aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the election and strengthening public confidence in the process.
She directed police officers deployed to Osun to remain apolitical, professional and respectful of voters’ rights.
“The Commission is committed to deepening public confidence in the electoral process by guaranteeing that Police conduct remains impartial, rule-based, and civil at all times,” the commission said.
It warned that officers found compromising the credibility of the election would be sanctioned.
The development came as Adeleke raised allegations of politically motivated arrests and demanded action over the viral video involving Fadahunsi.
With Saturday’s election only days away, the contest has moved beyond the traditional battle for votes, with security neutrality, political rhetoric and the possibility of violence emerging as major issues.
The August 15 poll will pit Adeleke against Oyebamiji and other candidates in a contest expected to attract intense scrutiny as Osun voters decide who will govern the state for the next four years.
•State seals mining partnership
Meanwhile, the Adeleke administration has entered into a new partnership aimed at developing Osun State’s mineral resources and attracting fresh investment into the mining sector.
The state government signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the Critical Minerals Financing Corporation Plc (CMFC) for the development and enhancement of the value of the state’s mineral assets.
The agreement was signed through the Office of Natural and Mineral Resources (Mining).
Speaking at the ceremony in Osogbo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Mineral Resources, Prof. Lukman Jimoda, described the partnership as timely and strategic, saying it aligned with Adeleke’s vision of making the state’s mining sector viable and productive.
Jimoda, who signed the agreement on behalf of the state government, welcomed the Managing Director of CMFC, Anthony Adigwe, and his team to the Bola Ige House, Governor’s Office, where the agreement was formally sealed.
He said the partnership represented a major step towards attracting credible investors into Osun’s mining sector.
“We are here today to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with CMFC. Since I assumed this position, we have been working tirelessly every day to secure reliable investors, and I am elated to announce that we have finally found a good one,” Jimoda said.
He commended Adeleke for what he described as the governor’s commitment to the development of the mining sector since assuming office.
Jimoda, however, expressed concern that of the eight mining agreements entered into by previous administrations, only three or four remained active, with the others becoming moribund.
He disclosed that, in addition to the CMFC partnership, the state had secured two other investors whose agreements were expected to be finalised soon.
The Special Adviser also assured the new investor of adequate security and safety for mining operations in Osun and across the South-West.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials of the state mining sector, including the Executive Secretary of the agency, Alhaji Nurudeen A. Bello, and the Director of Operations, Mrs M.O. Olayiwola, among others.
