By Ishaya Ibrahim
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar, has described as uncivilised the threat issued by a notorious Lagos mobster, Musliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo against Igbo voters.
Oluomo, chairman of Lagos Motor Parks and Garages, in a video that has now gone viral, threatened Igbos who will not vote for the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s governorship election, to stay at home.
“We have begged them. If they don’t want to vote for us, it is not a fight. Tell them, mama Chukwudi, if you don’t want to vote for us, sit down at home. Sit down at home,” Oluomo said in the video.
Atiku, in a statement he personally signed, said the ‘criminal silence’ of the security agencies and political leadership in Lagos State, is disturbing.
See the full statement
It is important for political leaders across the country, especially Lagos State, to desist from actions that promote election violence, such that can compromise peace, unity and democracy in our country.
I am concerned about how lackeys of political leaders in Lagos State have unabatedly made ethnic slurs aimed at intimidating voters in the state in tomorrow’s election.
I have watched with profound disdain a certain video in circulation where some persons known to be associates of the leaders of the ruling party in Lagos State are issuing threats against other ethnic groups in the build up to the Governorship and State House of Assembly election in the state tomorrow.
I condemn this uncivilised behaviour and also condemn the criminal silence of the security agencies and the political leadership in Lagos State and Abuja on this development.
Every democracy is as virile as the culture of the electoral system that governs it. The democracy that we fought for and operate in Nigeria thrives on the principle of free and equal participation.
Beyond that, I find it morally wrong and repugnant for political actors to make broad-day incitements against a particular ethnic bloc in an attempt to intimidate them from voting for their choice candidate.
It is not enough to talk about the promise of a free and fair election. The actions that we take prior to Election Day must have the integrity of a badge of honour.
It is, therefore on this note, that I specifically call on security agencies in the country to ensure that politicians and their protégés submit to the rules of democratic fair-play across the country, especially in Lagos State, for the sake of decency and the promotion of peace and unity. -AA