Senator Francis Fadahunsi is currently making headlines across Nigerian news platforms and social media after a viral video showed him addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Ilesa, Osun State. In the video, he made remarks that critics have described as a call for violence against members of the rival Accord Party.
With another governorship election approaching in Osun State, residents and political supporters are already gearing up for what could be another major shift in power. The big question is whether the ruling party will be able to hold on to the state or whether voters will decide that it is time for a new government.
Politics is no child’s play in Nigeria, and the same can be said for the states. The people in power have a direct impact on how a state is run and how it develops over the years. Elections also give voters the chance to decide who they want to lead them, with those decisions eventually affecting the wider political landscape, including the presidency.
The controversy surrounding Senator Fadahunsi has only added to the tension ahead of the election. Since the video surfaced, the situation has led to a police summons, political backlash and public reactions from celebrities and other Nigerians.
Here is a full breakdown of why Senator Fadahunsi is trending and everything that has happened since the video emerged.
Why Senator Fadahunsi Is Trending
The controversy began after a video began circulating on social media showing Senator Fadahunsi speaking in Yoruba to a crowd of APC supporters during a campaign event in Ilesa on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. In the footage, Fadahunsi was heard making remarks that many viewers interpreted as directing supporters to attack members of the Accord Party if they encountered them in the area. One widely shared translation of the remarks, credited to the video and shared by Afrobeats star Davido on social media, quoted him as saying, “Until the day of election, when you see any Accord party member here in Ilesa, kill them.”
In the video, Fadahunsi also reportedly challenged those present to record his comments and share them online, a detail that has added to the controversy surrounding how the remarks were intended to be received. The comments were made ahead of Osun State’s governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, a contest already drawing intense political attention given the ongoing rivalry between the APC and the opposition Accord Party in the state.
Police Summon Senator Fadahunsi
Following widespread public backlash over the video, the Osun State Police Command formally summoned Fadahunsi to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo. According to a letter dated August 11, 2026, and signed by Samuel Etaifo Erale, the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duties in Osun State, Fadahunsi was directed to report to the SCID on Wednesday, August 12, at 11 a.m. local time.
Police officials said the invitation was intended to allow the command to clarify the circumstances surrounding the senator’s remarks and assess their implications for peace and security ahead of the weekend’s election. The summons reflects heightened concern from security agencies about the potential for political violence during the vote, with officials in Osun State having repeatedly warned politicians and their supporters against actions capable of disrupting the electoral process.
Fadahunsi’s Clarification
In response to the backlash, Fadahunsi’s media office issued a statement on Tuesday titled “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells APC.” In the statement, the senator said his remarks were a political metaphor, intended to encourage APC supporters to defeat the Accord Party through the ballot box rather than through any form of physical confrontation.
The statement specifically said that “for the avoidance of doubt,” the senator’s comments were “purely political and metaphorical,” and it explicitly denied that Fadahunsi had advocated violence, intimidation, or any form of physical attack against members or supporters of the Accord Party or any other political organization. According to the statement, Fadahunsi’s consistent position has been that elections should be decided by the votes of the people rather than by force, and he further urged APC supporters and other political actors in the state to maintain peace and follow the law throughout the electoral process.
Political Backlash and Calls for Arrest
The controversy has drawn a sharp response from supporters of the Accord Party and allies of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke. The Imole Campaign Council, which supports Adeleke’s reelection bid, issued a statement calling for Fadahunsi’s arrest and prosecution over what it described as an alleged threat to kill Accord Party members and supporters throughout Ijeshaland. The council, through its Chairman of Media and Publicity, Bamidele Salam, said it was gravely alarmed and disturbed by the video, alleging that the senator was heard directing APC members to attack Accord supporters wherever they were found in the region.
Adding to the pressure, the council also reportedly called on Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police to arrest and prosecute the senator, framing the matter as a serious threat to the integrity and safety of the upcoming election. The controversy has heightened broader concerns about political violence in Osun State, a region that has seen recurring tension between rival political camps in the lead-up to the governorship contest.
Celebrity Attention: Davido Weighs In
The controversy gained additional national visibility after Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke and who has family roots in Ede, Osun State, shared the video on his Instagram account on August 12, 2026. Davido posted the footage alongside a translated version of the senator’s remarks and the hashtag “OsunDecides,” describing the situation as unacceptable. Given Davido’s massive social media following and his personal ties to Osun State, his post significantly amplified public attention to the controversy beyond Nigeria’s traditional political news audience.
Who Is Senator Francis Fadahunsi?
Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi was born on July 12, 1952, in Ilase-Ijesa, Osun State, to Chief Israel Adekunbi Fadahunsi and Chief Emily Fadahunsi. He received his early education at Saint Paul’s Anglican Primary School in Ilase-Ijesa before continuing his secondary education at Abebeyin Anglican Modern School in Atakumosa West Local Government Area, beginning in 1964.
Before entering politics, Fadahunsi built a career in public service as a customs officer, eventually rising to the rank of retired Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service. He currently represents the Osun East Senatorial District in Nigeria’s National Assembly as a member of the All Progressives Congress, placing him among the more senior political figures involved in the state’s closely contested governorship race.
What Happens Next
As of the most recent reporting, Fadahunsi was expected to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo on Wednesday, August 12, in response to the police summons. Neither the senator nor his official media team had issued additional public comment beyond the initial clarification statement at the time the summons was announced. The outcome of that meeting, along with any further police or political response, is likely to shape how the controversy continues to unfold in the days remaining before Saturday’s governorship election.
The situation remains a developing story, with competing characterizations of the senator’s intent still very much part of the public debate. His supporters and media team maintain the remarks were metaphorical and about electoral defeat rather than physical harm, while critics and opposition-aligned groups have characterized the comments as a direct and dangerous incitement to violence. Given the closeness of the election and the history of political tension in the region, the controversy is likely to remain a significant talking point through Election Day and potentially beyond, depending on how authorities and the senator’s camp respond in the coming days.
The controversy surrounding Senator Fadahunsi’s remarks also arrives against a broader backdrop of political tension that has defined much of Osun State’s recent electoral history. Reports covering the lead-up to the August 15 governorship election have pointed to a fragile political landscape in the state, with recurring clashes between party loyalists, localized incidents of political violence, and allegations of voter intimidation reported across various local government areas in the months leading up to the vote. Against that backdrop, remarks like the ones attributed to Fadahunsi carry added weight, with observers noting that comments from senior political figures can meaningfully influence how supporters on the ground behave during an already tense election period.
Political analysts have also pointed to the specific reference to a “Federal Government election” within the broader context of the controversy as reflecting deeper anxieties in Osun State over the role of federal political influence, security deployment, and the perceived neutrality of state institutions during elections. That dynamic has made an already closely watched race even more contentious, with both the APC and Accord Party camps closely scrutinizing statements from prominent figures on either side for signs of intent to influence turnout or intimidate opposition supporters.
Coverage of the controversy has also renewed attention on the broader stakes of Saturday’s vote itself. The Osun governorship race has been framed by multiple outlets as a tightly contested three-way battle, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking reelection against APC candidate Munirudeen Oyebamiji and Accord Party’s Salaam, among other contenders. Against that competitive backdrop, any incident perceived as threatening or destabilizing carries outsized significance, since both major parties have strong incentives to characterize the other’s conduct in the worst possible light in the campaign’s final days.
For now, much of the immediate attention remains focused on Fadahunsi’s scheduled appearance before the State Criminal Investigation Department and how both the police and his own political camp choose to characterize the remarks going forward. With the governorship election just days away, the controversy is likely to remain a central storyline in Nigerian political coverage through the end of the week, regardless of how the senator’s meeting with investigators concludes.
As Nigerians continue to watch developments in Osun State closely, Senator Fadahunsi’s case is likely to serve as a broader flashpoint in ongoing national conversations about political rhetoric, accountability, and the responsibility senior lawmakers carry when addressing supporters during high-stakes election periods.
Quick Facts About Senator Francis Fadahunsi
- Full name: Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi
- Date of birth: July 12, 1952
- Birthplace: Ilase-Ijesa, Osun State, Nigeria
- Political party: All Progressives Congress (APC)
- Current role: Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District
- Background: Retired Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service
- Why he’s trending: A viral video showing remarks interpreted by critics as inciting violence against Accord Party members ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun governorship election
- Current status: Summoned by the Osun State Police Command to appear at the State CID in Osogbo on August 12, 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Senator Fadahunsi trending?
A viral video showed him telling APC supporters in Ilesa to confront Accord Party members, remarks widely interpreted as a threat, prompting a police summons and political backlash ahead of Osun State’s August 15 governorship election.
What did Senator Fadahunsi actually say?
According to a widely shared translation of the video, he told supporters that if they encountered any Accord Party members in Ilesa before Election Day, they should “kill them.” His team has disputed the interpretation of that remark.
Has Senator Fadahunsi responded to the backlash?
Yes, his media office issued a statement saying the comment was a political metaphor meaning APC should defeat the Accord Party through votes, not violence, and denied he advocated any form of physical attack.
Has Senator Fadahunsi been arrested?
As of the most recent reports, he had not been arrested. He was summoned by the Osun State Police Command to appear before the State CID in Osogbo on August 12, 2026, to clarify the circumstances surrounding his remarks.
Who is calling for Senator Fadahunsi’s arrest?
The Imole Campaign Council, which supports Governor Ademola Adeleke’s reelection bid, has called for his arrest and prosecution, alleging the remarks constituted a threat against Accord Party members and supporters.
Why did Davido get involved in this controversy?
Davido, an Afrobeats star with family roots in Ede, Osun State, shared the video on Instagram along with a translated version of the remarks, significantly increasing public attention to the story.
Who is Senator Francis Fadahunsi?
He is a Nigerian senator representing the Osun East Senatorial District as a member of the APC, and a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service.
When is the Osun State governorship election?
The election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.