Human Rights Lawyer Effiong Demands Prosecution of Fadahunsi Over ‘Kill Accord Members’ Remark
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has urged the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to prosecute Francis Fadahunsi, the Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, over his remarks calling for the “killing of Accord Party members.”
Senator Fadahunsi made the comment in a viral video ahead of the governorship election in Osun State on Saturday.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday, Effiong described the statement as highly unfortunate, condemnable, reckless and irresponsible, especially at a time when the political atmosphere in the state is already tense.
He noted that the Senator’s incendiary statement has heightened the already tense political atmosphere in the state, which may lead to a breakdown of law and order and negatively affect voter turnout in the forthcoming election.
“The subsequent explanation by the Senator, in a bid to defend himself by stating that he meant killing the Accord Party members through votes, is pedestrian, childish and feeble,” the lawyer said.
Effiong stressed that the Senator’s statement is capable of negatively affecting the integrity of the electoral process and inciting supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against supporters of the Accord Party and other political parties.
He added that the statement is also capable of scaring voters away from exercising their constitutional and civic rights to elect candidates of their choice in the forthcoming election.
The lawyer acknowledged that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Osun State Police Command invited the Senator for questioning and subsequently released him.
He, however, alleged that this shows that the Osun State Police Command has already taken sides and appears unwilling to take further action against the Senator.
“It is on this note that I call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to immediately arraign the Senator in a court of competent jurisdiction, in order to demonstrate to Nigerians that his commitment to securing the electoral process in Osun and ensuring a free and fair election is not empty,” he stated.
Effiong asserted that the prosecution of the Senator would equally demonstrate to Nigerians that the IGP is non-partisan and impartial, given that members of the Accord Party had been arrested and ferried to Abuja over what he described as yet-to-be-substantiated allegations of violence.
He argued that failure to prosecute Senator Fadahunsi in accordance with the law would be interpreted by well-meaning Nigerians as an official endorsement of anarchy and a dangerous signal that certain individuals are above the law.
Effiong explained that such inaction would not only undermine public confidence in the impartiality and integrity of the Nigeria Police Force but may also embolden political actors and their supporters to resort to threats, intimidation, and violence as tools of political engagement.
