Nigeria’s Osun State is bracing for a tense governorship election this Saturday after a threat to kill members of the opposition Accord party triggered a police investigation into governorship candidate Francis Fadahunsi. Police have confirmed they’ve invited Fadahunsi for questioning over the comments, while activists have gone as far as calling on the US and UK to consider sanctions over the remarks.
In response, the Nigeria Police Force has publicly warned all political parties, candidates and their supporters against violence and vote-buying ahead of polling day, and has deployed additional security agencies across the state. The Accord party, for its part, is urging its members and supporters to stand their ground rather than back down in the face of the threats.
With emotions already running high just days before voters head to the polls, Saturday’s election in Osun is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched — and most anxiously policed — state contests in Nigeria this year.
