ADC blames Tinubu as Fadahunsi remark stokes fear among Osun voters, first-timers

The African Democratic Congress has directly blamed President Bola Tinubu for the controversial remarks by APC Senator Francis Fadahunsi, as ordinary voters and first-time participants in Osun State express growing fear that political intimidation could keep them away from the polls on Saturday.

ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said Fadahunsi appeared emboldened by the president’s earlier comment that “all is fair in politics.” Speaking on Arise News, Abdullahi argued that such language from the highest level of government had given political actors a sense of authorisation to push boundaries in the contest for power.

Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East, was captured in a viral video addressing APC supporters in Ilesa in terms widely interpreted as calling on them to “kill” members of the rival Accord Party if they were seen before or on election day. The senator later clarified that the statement was metaphorical and meant “kill Accord with votes,” not physical violence. He was questioned by the Osun State Police Command and maintained that his words had been misinterpreted.

For many residents, the political blame game is secondary to the immediate question of personal safety. Across parts of the state, voters, especially those participating for the first time, have begun weighing whether casting a ballot is worth the risk. Earlier reports described a climate in which people already avoided wearing party colours or accepting campaign souvenirs for fear of attack. Some parents have advised young people who only recently collected their Permanent Voter Cards to stay away from polling units if tensions remain high.

Civil society groups have warned that inflammatory rhetoric risks suppressing turnout and undermining the credibility of the election. First-time voters, many of them young and newly eligible, appear particularly vulnerable. For them, the choice is not only about candidates or parties but about whether the process feels safe enough to engage in at all.

Security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission have given public assurances that measures are in place to protect voters. Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Accord candidate seeking re-election, and other political figures have called for calm and for those making threats to face the law.