The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries, Distinguished Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, OFR, has denied reports that he threatened violence, saying his comments were deliberately edited and taken out of context.
Fadahunsi, in a statement reacting to a viral video circulating on social media, said the footage being circulated by Davido on TikTok and Pelumi Olajengbesi on other platforms was extracted from a much longer speech and edited in a manner that distorted his intended message.
According to the senator, his remarks were made against the backdrop of alleged attacks and killings of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ilesa and other parts of Osun State.
“What I said was that if the alleged killing of our party members by Accord Party thugs does not stop, our party will retaliate,” Fadahunsi said.
He explained that his remarks were intended to express concern over what he described as a disturbing pattern of political violence, insisting that the killing of opposition members was unacceptable in a democratic society.
Fadahunsi also referred to the death of one Rogba in Esa-Oke, whom he said was killed by a fellow cult member. He noted that Governor Ademola Adeleke had described the deceased as his son and had also engaged in a disagreement with a serving member of the House of Representatives during a live television programme.
“My statement was very clear: if the killings do not stop, we shall also retaliate. We are here to lodge complaints and demand justice,” he said.
The senator maintained that the alleged attacks had created fear among residents, particularly members of his party, stressing that the lives of Nigerians must not be sacrificed for political interests.
He said he was particularly concerned by reports of fresh killings in Ilesa, alleging that three young men were killed at Kajola Junction, Imo, Ilesa, while reports also emerged of the alleged killing of more than eight young people in the Igbogi area.
According to him, more than 12 APC members had reportedly been killed in recent incidents across the area, a development he said demanded urgent intervention from the government and security agencies.
Fadahunsi criticised what he described as inadequate condemnation of the alleged killings by the state government, insisting that citizens deserved assurances of their safety regardless of their political affiliation.
He also accused those circulating the edited video of deliberately manipulating his words for political purposes.
“Unfortunately, Davido and Olajengbesi took less than two minutes from a speech that lasted about 24 minutes and circulated it to achieve cheap political objectives. This is a clear case of deliberate misrepresentation and manipulation,” he said.
Despite his strong warning, Fadahunsi called on residents and political supporters across Ijesaland to reject violence and maintain peace ahead of the forthcoming election.
He urged eligible voters to come out peacefully on Saturday and exercise their civic rights, stressing that elections should be determined by ideas, policies and the will of the electorate rather than intimidation or bloodshed.
“Our democracy must not be destroyed by violence. We must protect the lives of our people and ensure that the electoral process is peaceful, free and credible,” the senator said.
He reiterated that all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, deserve protection, calling on political actors and their supporters to put the safety and security of citizens above partisan interests.
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