A senator representing a senatorial district in Osun State has sparked controversy after allegedly calling on his supporters to attack and kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The All Progressives Congress lawmaker made the alleged remarks in a video shared on social media by Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
According to Davido’s translation of the senator’s remarks from Yoruba to English, the lawmaker allegedly told his supporters, “From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorise you to kill them.”
He was also alleged to have said that Accord supporters should not be allowed to vote, even if they arrived at polling units with valid voter cards.
The remarks have sparked concerns over the possibility of political violence and intimidation ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The video showed the lawmaker addressing supporters in Yoruba while discussing the Accord Party and the forthcoming election.
Davido, who shared the video, described the speaker as a sitting senator and called for attention to be paid to the alleged threat.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in Osun, with political parties and their supporters trading accusations ahead of the poll.
Security agencies and other election stakeholders have repeatedly urged politicians and their supporters to shun violence and allow voters to freely exercise their rights.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the senator has since clarified that his “kill Accord” remark was intended to mean defeating the party at the polls through votes, rather than physically attacking its members.
