A serving senator from Osun State has come under criticism following a video in which he was allegedly heard urging his supporters to attack and kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The video, which circulated on social media on Tuesday, was shared by Nigerian Afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
In the footage, the lawmaker was seen addressing supporters in Yoruba while making comments about the Accord Party and its members.
According to an English translation provided by Davido alongside the video, the senator allegedly told his supporters to kill Accord members whenever they encountered them.
The translated remarks also indicated that he allegedly warned that Accord supporters would not be allowed to vote during the election, even if they presented their Permanent Voter Cards.
In another portion of the video, the lawmaker reportedly referred to the activities of Accord members in Ilesa and urged his supporters to confront them.
The alleged statement has generated concern coming just days before the August 15 governorship election, with political parties and their supporters campaigning across the state.
The development has also raised fresh concerns about the possibility of political violence, intimidation and disruption of the electoral process.
Security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders have repeatedly appealed to politicians and their supporters to shun violence and allow voters to freely exercise their franchise.
The identity of the senator and the full context of the remarks could not be independently established from the video at the time of filing this report.
The allegation has nevertheless generated reactions on social media, with many Nigerians calling for restraint and urging political actors to ensure that the election is conducted peacefully.
Osun State is expected to witness a keenly contested governorship election on Saturday, with major political parties mobilising supporters ahead of the poll.