A serving senator from Osun State has allegedly urged his supporters to attack and kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The lawmaker, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was allegedly captured making the remarks in a video shared on social media by Afrobeat singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
Davido described the individual in the video as a serving senator and provided an English translation of remarks made in Yoruba.
According to the translation shared by Davido, the lawmaker said, “From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorise you to kill them.
He was also quoted as saying, “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 part of the video, the lawmaker allegedly warned supporters against allowing Accord members to operate in Ilesa.
“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,” he was quoted as saying.
The alleged remarks have generated concerns over the potential for political violence as Osun residents prepare to elect a governor on Saturday.
The election has already been marked by heightened political tensions, with rival camps trading accusations of intimidation and violence.
The alleged comments also come despite repeated appeals by security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders for politicians and their supporters to avoid inflammatory statements and ensure a peaceful electoral process.
If accurately translated and presented in the proper context, the remarks could further heighten concerns about threats to political opponents and voter participation ahead of the election.
(The Sun)