ABUJA, Nigeria — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an investigation into comments allegedly made by Senator Francis Fadahunsi in a viral video, where he is reported to have threatened violence against political opponents prior to the 2027 elections.

The PDP's National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee, Comrade Ini Ememobong, issued a statement on X on Wednesday, stating that the senator's purported remarks were met with significant shock by Nigerians and the international community.

The party characterized the alleged comments as uncivilized and unacceptable within a democratic framework. In the widely circulated video, Senator Fadahunsi is quoted as saying, “So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, it is killing.”

The PDP condemned this statement, asserting that political contests should offer citizens a genuine opportunity to select their leaders freely, rather than serving as a platform for intimidation and violence.

The opposition party further linked Senator Fadahunsi's remarks to a perceived pattern of inflammatory rhetoric emanating from members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP recalled previous statements attributed to the APC's presidential candidate, including assertions like, “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.”

“These and many more hurtful rhetorics have been deployed by the ruling party unapologetically,” the PDP stated, arguing that such language has contributed to what it described as unprecedented political tension in the country.

The party reiterated its stance that elections are not intended to be a “do-or-die contest” but are designed to empower citizens to freely choose their representatives.

“What Nigerians face instead is a ruling party that has normalised warlike rhetoric- intimidating the people, silencing the opposition, and working to impose a predetermined outcome on the electorate in 2027,” the statement read.

The PDP specifically called for a thorough investigation into the incident involving Senator Fadahunsi, as well as other alleged threats to the peaceful and transparent conduct of elections in Osun State.

The party urged President Bola Tinubu, the APC, and their officials to cease what it termed anti-democratic narratives and threats that are being presented as political communication.

The PDP emphasized that civility must become a cornerstone of political discourse, insisting that election outcomes should accurately reflect the will of voters as expressed through the ballot box.

“Civility must take centre stage in our political communication, and the elections must be a true reflection of the will of the people, freely given through the ballot,” the PDP declared.

The opposition party described this principle as the “irreducible minimum” that the government and all political parties must observe to safeguard Nigeria's democracy.

“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,” Ememobong concluded.