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Igbere traditional rulers in Bende Local Government of Abia State have thrown their weight behind the 2027 bid of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu to return to the parliament.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers during Kalu’s courtesy call in the course of his “Meet Your Constituents” tour to the traditional rulers on Wednesday in Igbere, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Eze Joseph Ukaoha Anyanta applauded Kalu for his outstanding legislative service, recalling that no one before him since the return of democracy in 1999 matched his service in terms of quality representation, legislative and infrastructure records.

The traditional rulers also gave their royal blessings to the Deputy Speaker, pledging their unflinching support for his legislative deliveries.

He said: “Yours is an outstanding legislative service, the best since 1999. Yours is different and we are seeing it all over the place. We are giving you our support so that you can do your work in peace.

“Anyone who wishes you evil will not succeed. We pray to God to give you the grace to achieve your lofty dreams for Bende. Whatever we can do to make this a reality, we will do it.”

Similarly, the women, youth of Igbere and non indigenes resident in Igbere also pledged their support for the Deputy Speaker, commending him for quality representation so far.

At Ibina Hall in Onu-Ibina Igbere, the women gathered in their numbers, singing and dancing in solidarity with the Deputy Speaker’s bid.

The same was the situation at Amankalu Igbere where the non indigenes resident in the town also gave their blessings to the Deputy Speaker.

The people lauded Kalu for attracting numerous projects to Bende, noting that all the 13 electoral wards of the constituency have witnessed unprecedented improvement in roads infrastructure, construction and renovation of school building amongst other people-oriented projects.

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By Dr Willie Adegbite

A video clip has placed Senator Francis Fadahunsi at the centre of a political firestorm. In it, he appears to use language that many have interpreted as a call to violence against members of the Accord Party. The senator insists the footage was edited and that his words were metaphorical, but the controversy has already taken hold. His political opponents have demanded his arrest, while the National Human Rights Commission has called for his suspension, arrest and investigation.

But in the rough-and-tumble of Nigerian politics, context matters. This controversy is about more than an incautious word. It also raises questions about the political environment in which the remarks were made and the allegations of violence that Fadahunsi says prompted them.

It is important to state clearly that Senator Fadahunsi’s remarks do not reflect the position of the All Progressives Congress or its governorship candidate in Osun State. The APC has never subscribed to do-or-die politics. Its candidate is not an advocate of violence or political thuggery. The party believes in competitive elections conducted within the boundaries of law and civility. That distinction matters because the temptation in partisan politics is to treat the words of one member as the doctrine of the entire party. That is not the case here.

Let us first deal with the offending word.

In the language of Nigerian political campaigning, “kill” can sometimes be used as visceral hyperbole for “overwhelm”, “defeat” or “send packing”. It is hardly elegant, but it is not invariably literal. In Yoruba political speech especially, vivid language is often used to describe electoral domination.

The danger is that such language can be heard differently when the political atmosphere is already tense.

Fadahunsi’s defence is that his words were taken out of context and that he was speaking metaphorically about defeating his opponents at the polls. That explanation deserves to be heard and tested against the full recording. But even if his intention was entirely political, the choice of words was reckless in an environment where allegations of violence are already circulating.

That is the uncomfortable middle ground in this controversy.

We should neither assume that the senator intended physical violence simply because a word was used, nor pretend that the word was harmless because it may have been metaphorical.

The more important question is what prompted the outburst.

Fadahunsi has alleged that as many as 30 APC members were killed in Osun within a month, while other reports have put his broader claim at more than 40 people killed in Osun East over the past year. These are serious allegations, not established facts, and they require verification.

But they should not be dismissed because they come from a politician currently facing scrutiny.

If even a fraction of these allegations is substantiated, Osun has a serious security problem that deserves the attention of the police and other relevant authorities. The families of anyone killed in political violence deserve investigation and justice, irrespective of party affiliation.

This is where the controversy risks becoming distorted. The attention devoted to Fadahunsi’s words should not prevent the authorities from examining the allegations of violence that he says formed their backdrop.

The two issues can be addressed at the same time.

The senator’s language can be investigated, while the alleged killings can also be investigated. One does not cancel out the other.

Indeed, this is precisely where responsible governance matters. When security agencies fail to provide timely and credible information about incidents of violence, suspicion grows and political narratives quickly fill the vacuum. Viral videos then become evidence, arguments become accusations and every incident is interpreted through partisan lenses.

Fadahunsi’s outburst is therefore not necessarily the cause of the tension in Osun. It may also be a symptom of a political environment in which fear and recrimination have become increasingly prominent.

That does not excuse his language.

Public office carries a responsibility to choose words carefully, particularly during an election. A politician who knows that his supporters are agitated should be cooling tempers rather than giving opponents reason to believe that violence has been sanctioned. The APC and its candidate have consistently demonstrated that they understand this responsibility. They reject the language of violence and have called for peaceful engagement.

Fadahunsi must therefore face the consequences of his words. The police investigation should run its course, and if it establishes that he genuinely incited violence, the law should take its course.

But fairness requires the authorities to follow the same principle in examining the allegations he has raised.

If people have been killed, their families deserve more than a political argument over a viral video. They deserve to know what happened and who was responsible.

This is also where Fadahunsi himself has an opportunity to help de-escalate the situation.

He should make it unequivocally clear that whatever metaphor he intended, he does not support physical violence against Accord members or anybody else. He should urge his supporters to settle the contest at the ballot box and cooperate fully with the authorities investigating both his remarks and the incidents he has cited.

That would be more than damage control.

It would be responsible leadership.

The same standard should apply across the political divide. Nobody should be allowed to use the language of violence as political mobilisation, just as nobody should be allowed to use allegations of violence selectively for partisan advantage. For the APC and its candidate, the path is clear. The party must continue to demonstrate through its conduct and messaging that it rejects violence and upholds the principles of democratic contestation.

Osun does not need competing narratives of victimhood. It needs credible facts.

The coming election is too important for the state to become trapped in a cycle in which every inflammatory statement produces another accusation, every accusation produces another counter-accusation and the underlying violence remains insufficiently investigated.

Fadahunsi may have chosen the wrong words. He should own that responsibility. But the controversy should not end there.

The real test is whether Osun’s political leaders and institutions can look beyond the viral clip and address the conditions that made such language possible in the first place.

An election should settle political disagreements with votes. It should not leave citizens wondering whether the people seeking their mandate are prepared to protect them from the consequences of their own rhetoric.

That is the responsibility Fadahunsi now carries.

And it is a responsibility that extends far beyond him.

● Dr Adegbite contributed this piece from Abuja.

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…warns that glitches during Saturday poll could ignite violence

…hails umpire over improved CVR from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233 registered

…urges security operatives to be at red alert on Saturday

The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness CCLCA has alerted security agencies on the need to beef up security during Osun 2026 governorship election on Saturday.

Director General of CCLCA Dr Gabriel Nwambu made these revelations during a press briefing on Wednesday in Osun State tagged:’Urgent Security Concerns, Inflammatory Rhetoric, Technical Glitches, and Pre-Election Violations Ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election’, addressed to security agencies and INEC .

Dr Nwambu in the briefing did not mince words as he urged security agencies to be at red alert to contain any unrest as the signals so far are not encouraging.

Hear him: “The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, an accredited Civil Rights Organization observing the upcoming Osun State Governorship Election slated for August 15, 2026, has been actively observing pre-election developments across the thirty (30) Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

“We note with satisfaction that at the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, the number of registered voters in Osun State increased from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233.

“This addition of 384,000 new registrants is a resounding indicator of heightened civic consciousness and growing public interest in democratic participation. However, this positive trajectory is currently being threatened by rising political tensions, inflammatory hate speech, electoral violence, and technological uncertainties.

INEC’S MOCK ACCREDITATION EXERCISE

“Preceding the main election, INEC conducted a mock accreditation exercise across 12 LGAs spanning the three Senatorial Districts to simulate Election Day procedures and evaluate the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“Unfortunately, our observers noted critical technical failures:

● BVAS Malfunctions: The devices abruptly stopped recognizing voters’ fingerprints, facial features, and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) details.

● Public Anxiety: Despite prior assurances from INEC regarding the resolution of disparities between old and new PVCs, these technical glitches have sparked widespread concern.

“Our Stance: We reiterate that the electorate is intolerant of any technical failures. The mock exercise was meant to build confidence and assure voters that their choices will count—not act as a source of discouragement. INEC must act immediately to guarantee the integrity and flawless operation of the BVAS.

” Furthermore, the Commission must not only remain non-partisan but must be seen unequivocally as non-partisan.

ESCALATION OF PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE

“Our pre-election monitoring reveals a deeply alarming security landscape:

● Casualties: Approximately 40 persons have been killed in pre-election-related violence across Osun State.

● Political Rhetoric: The political atmosphere is heavily charged. Politicians have largely abandoned issue-based campaigns in favor of personal attacks, insults, and inciting language capable of fracturing public peace.

A. Reckless Utterances by Public Office Holders

Public office holders must lead by example. We strongly condemn the unguarded, reckless, and despicable remarks made by a prominent South South Governor, whose utterances were entirely unbefitting of his office and capable of inciting a breakdown of law and order.

“Such careless statements overheat the polity and must be reined in immediately.

B. Direct Incitement to Violence in Ijeshaland by Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi.

“Most disturbing is the conduct of the serving Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi.

● Incitement to Murder: Senator Fadahunsi was captured on a verified video openly inciting members of his party (APC) to kill members of the Accord Party and their supporters wherever they are found in Ijeshaland.

● Importation of Thugs and Fake Police: Credible intelligence confirms that the senator has imported thugs, hoodlums, and fake policemen into Ilase (his hometown) as well as towns across Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East, and Atakumosa West LGAs.

● Abuse of Federal Might: Senator Fadahunsi boasted using “federal might” to intimidate voters, threatening that even if Accord Party members present their PVCs at polling units on Saturday, August 15, his thugs will prevent them from voting.

● Harassment via Security Units: The Senator has also continuously boasted of using the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to harass, arrest, and intimidate opposition leaders.

” Notably, an aide to the senator named ASP Wemimo has been leading IRT personnel to the homes of Accord Party leaders, including the continued unlawful abduction and detention of a House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola.

CALL TO ACTION

“Given these grave threats to human life and the sanctity of the ballot, the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness urgently demands the following:

1. Immediate Arrest and Prosecution: We call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to order the immediate arrest and thorough prosecution of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi and all individuals masterminding pre-election violence in Osun State, in accordance with domestic and international laws.

2. Special Security Attention for Ijeshaland: All security formations deployed for Saturday’s election must pay hyper-vigilant attention to the six LGAs in Ijeshaland to safeguard the lives of law-abiding citizens.

3. Flushing Out Thugs: Security agencies must immediately comb and flush out armed thugs and fake policemen quartered in Ilase-Ijesha and other enclaves by political actors.

4. Accountability: Let it be unequivocally recorded that Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi would be directly responsible for any act of violence or loss of life targeting Accord Party members or any citizen in Ijeshaland and across Osun State.

5. Release of Abducted Candidates: The IGP must immediately probe the operations of the IRT unit in Osun State and order the immediate and unconditional release of the House of Reps candidate of the Accord Party, Alaba Popoola, alongside other illegally detained political actors.

6. Caution to Leaders: Political leaders across regional divides, including the aforementioned South South Governor, must be called to order to halt incendiary rhetoric.

The August 15, 2026, governorship election must be a contest of ballots, not bullets. The security of lives and property before, during, and after the polls remains non-negotiable.