Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned alleged incendiary and threat-laden remarks attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, demanding their immediate retraction and warning that inflammatory political rhetoric could plunge the poll into an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Wednesday, expressed concern that a serving senator and senior political figure could allegedly make comments capable of heightening tension or encouraging confrontation at a time when political leaders should be using their influence to safeguard peace and public confidence in the electoral process.
He said public office carries a solemn responsibility to protect democratic values and promote peaceful political participation, particularly during elections.
According to Obi, the ballot box should be a place where citizens freely exercise their constitutional right to choose their leaders—not a battleground where voters are threatened, intimidated or coerced.
He warned that political statements perceived as threats of force or disruption could undermine the credibility of the election, frighten voters and deepen tensions across communities.
Obi therefore challenged Fadahunsi to withdraw the alleged comments and apologise to the people of Osun State if the statements attributed to him are accurately reflected in the reports and recordings in circulation.
He also appealed to political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and their supporters to exercise restraint and refrain from rhetoric capable of inflaming passions in the final hours before the election.
The former presidential candidate equally called on security agencies to take inflammatory political statements seriously and intensify surveillance of the electoral environment.
He urged the security authorities to guarantee equal protection for voters, candidates, political parties, election officials, observers and other stakeholders irrespective of political affiliation.
Obi stressed that security agencies must remain professional, neutral and non-partisan, warning against any attempt to use security personnel to intimidate voters or influence the outcome of the election.
“The authority to determine who governs belongs exclusively to the electorate,” Obi maintained, insisting that no individual, irrespective of political status or public office, should attempt to subvert the will of the people through fear, coercion or violence.
He urged the people of Osun State to remain calm, peaceful and resolute as they prepare to exercise their right to vote.
Obi said the credibility of Saturday’s election would extend beyond Osun, arguing that the conduct of the poll would serve as another test of Nigeria’s commitment to democratic governance and peaceful transfers of political power.
He therefore urged all stakeholders to place the interest of Osun State and Nigeria above partisan calculations and allow voters to make their choice without intimidation.
The former presidential candidate said a credible election must be one in which citizens can walk into polling units without fear, cast their ballots freely and leave knowing that their votes—not threats, political influence or violence—will determine the outcome.
He concluded that getting Nigeria’s elections right remains fundamental to building what he described as the **“New Nigeria that is possible.”**