AGE IS WISDOM? — “KILL ACCORD PARTY MEMBERS” AS 74-YEAR-OLD SENATOR FADAHUNSI COMES UNDER FIRE….critics Ask: “are your children in Ijesaland?” as lawmaker faces backlash over explosive campaign remark

OSUN POLITICS ON EDGE: Critics Blast Senator Over ‘Kill Accord’ Remark Ahead of Governorship Election

Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, the 74-year-old APC lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District, has come under fierce criticism following a viral video in which he appeared to urge supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The remark has triggered outrage across Osun, with critics questioning how a serving senator, former Customs officer and elder statesman could use such explosive language at a time when the state desperately needs political leaders to preach peace.

Fadahunsi has since defended himself, claiming that “kill” was used metaphorically to mean defeating his opponents at the ballot box. But his explanation has done little to calm the storm.

For many residents, the bigger question is simple: Why would a lawmaker and former Customs officer speak in such a manner when his words could be interpreted as a call for political violence?

Critics argue that political disagreements should be settled with votes, not threats, intimidation or inflammatory language.

Some have also questioned whether Fadahunsi fully appreciates the consequences of his words, particularly in Ijesaland and Ifeland, where political emotions are running high ahead of the election.

In a particularly sharp reaction, critics have asked: “Is it because his children are not in Ilesa or Ijesaland that he can throw such words around without considering the consequences?”

The question reflects growing anger among residents who believe political leaders should remember that ordinary citizens, rather than politicians, are often the ones who bear the consequences when political rhetoric turns violent.

At 74, Fadahunsi is also being accused by his critics of forgetting the political history that helped propel him to the Senate.

Critics are asking whether the senator has forgotten so quickly that Governor Ademola Adeleke was among those who stood by him during the 2023 political struggle that eventually saw him emerge as senator representing the Ife/Ijesa area.

For those questioning his latest rhetoric, the issue is not merely about party loyalty. It is about political memory, gratitude and the responsibility that comes with occupying public office.

Adeleke later joined the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), setting the stage for a fresh political battle in Osun ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The controversy intensified after Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, shared the video on X, exposing Fadahunsi’s remarks to a much wider audience.

The footage reportedly originated from a campaign gathering in the Ilesa area of Osun State.

With the election only days away, the senator’s comments have generated fierce reactions across social media, with critics warning that politicians must be extremely careful with their language.

The Osun State Police Command has summoned Fadahunsi over the controversial video, and the senator reportedly appeared at the command headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday to answer questions.

The National Human Rights Commission has also called for appropriate action over statements capable of threatening electoral peace.

The latest controversy comes against the backdrop of months of political tension in Osun, including allegations of campaign disruptions, destruction of political billboards and clashes involving supporters of rival political camps.

With INEC’s campaign deadline set for August 13 and voting scheduled for August 15, political leaders are under increasing pressure to lower the temperature.

For a senator, former Customs officer and 74-year-old political veteran, critics say the expectation should be leadership, restraint and wisdom—not language capable of setting an already tense political environment on fire.

The question now is not whether “kill” was meant literally or metaphorically. The bigger question is whether political leaders should be using such language at all when the peace and safety of ordinary Osun residents are at stake.