Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned a viral statement allegedly made by Senator Francis Fadahunsi in connection with the forthcoming Osun State election, describing it as a threat to democracy and peaceful electoral participation.
The PDP, in a statement signed on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Interim National Working Committee, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said Nigerians and the international community received the remarks with shock.
In the viral video referenced by the party, Fadahunsi was heard saying: “So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, it is killing.”
The opposition party said the statement was particularly disturbing because, in its view, it reflected what it described as a pattern of aggressive political rhetoric associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP also recalled statements attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his political career, including: “Political power is not going to be served in a restaurant… At all cost, fight for it, grab it, and run with it” and “all is fair in politics”.
According to the PDP, such rhetoric has contributed to heightened political tensions in the country and risks undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
The party argued that elections should not be treated as a do-or-die contest, but rather as a democratic avenue through which citizens freely choose their leaders.
It accused the ruling party of allegedly promoting what it described as warlike political rhetoric aimed at intimidating citizens, silencing opposition voices and influencing electoral outcomes.
The PDP consequently called for a transparent investigation into the Fadahunsi incident, as well as other alleged threats to peaceful and credible elections in Osun State.
It also urged President Tinubu, the APC and its officials to desist from what it described as anti-democratic narratives and threats under the guise of political communication.
The party stressed the need for civility in political discourse and insisted that the outcome of elections must reflect the genuine will of the electorate as expressed through the ballot.
“This is the irreducible minimum, which the government and all political parties must adhere to, in the interest of the survival of democracy and the country,” the PDP said.