‘My Video Was Distorted’ – Fadahunsi Speaks After Police Interrogation

The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, has again denied ordering his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party and their family members, saying a viral video circulating online was edited to distort his remarks.

Naija News reports that Fadahunsi made the clarification on Wednesday after he was interrogated by the Police at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo over the controversial video.

The senator, who arrived at the command at about 2:35 pm in the company of the Commissioner of Police in charge of election and security, Samuel Erale, spoke with journalists after a closed-door meeting with police investigators at the Criminal Investigation Department.

Fadahunsi explained that his reference to “killing” the Accord Party was political and meant defeating the party with votes at the August 15 governorship election, rather than physically attacking its members.

Defending his statement, the lawmaker said the video being circulated did not represent the full context of his remarks, which he said were originally made in Yoruba.

“Well, we have met, and I have told them what I said, not the one manipulated by mischievous interpreters of our language. I am a Yoruba man. If an Igbo or Hausa woman is interpreting Yoruba to me, Yoruba means many things.

“We said, come Saturday, election, we will kill them with our votes. Go and look at the video; it is almost 38 minutes,” he said.

Fadahunsi alleged that a portion of the video was taken from a longer recording and presented in a manner that gave his words a different meaning.

“A mischievous man, I don’t know where it comes from, whether it’s on drug or where, misinterpreted from somebody’s blog. So, we’ll wait until after this to see what we can do legally to search,” the senator added.

The controversy followed the emergence of a viral video in which Fadahunsi, speaking in Yoruba, was alleged to have instructed his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party and their family members.

Fadahunsi Raises Alarm Over Killings

The senator also expressed concern over recent killings in his constituency, alleging that the attacks were intended to intimidate voters and discourage them from coming out to vote for the All Progressives Congress.

He maintained that his remarks were made against the backdrop of what he described as continued attacks on APC members by alleged thugs in Ilesa and other parts of Osun State.

The controversy has drawn condemnation from political and civil society figures ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke had on Tuesday accused Fadahunsi of inciting violence and “genocide” against members of the Accord Party, whose governorship candidate is the incumbent governor.

Adeleke called for a thorough investigation and demanded the “immediate arrest” of the senator, describing the alleged remarks as a “national security threat”.

Police Investigation Ongoing

Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Iniedu Okokon, confirmed that Fadahunsi had been interrogated by the police.

Okokon said investigation into the matter was ongoing and that the outcome would be made public after the process had been concluded.

He also assured residents that adequate security arrangements had been put in place across Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

According to him, the measures were designed to protect voters, election officials and other stakeholders during the exercise.

The August 15 election is expected to be keenly contested, with the controversy over alleged inflammatory statements adding to concerns over security and political tension in the state.