Nigerians from across ethnic persuasion have reacted with outrage over the alleged threat to Igbos living in Lagos to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, o perish in the lagoon.
Reactions have been spontaneous and unequivocal in condemnation of the threat, which runs against the grain of democracy’s fundamental principle of freedom of choice.
This Day citing Freedom Online, had report that “a visibly angry Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in an unconcealed threat, stated that he was not ready to beg the Igbos, but if they repeated what they did on March 28 when they voted for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan, then they should be ready for the consequences.”
This threat by its seriousness has dominated discourse in the Facebook and Twitter with not even a single voice rising in Oba’s support.
Bamidele O Olaleye, contributing to one of the many threads on the subject, said: “With a few exemptions, Obas lost a lot of respect towards last week’s election. So this should not be a surprise. I don’t think he will do anything, but if the Igbos feel threatened, then they should lodge a complaint with the IG, regardless of the outcome of the election.”
Oludare Mayowa said, “…the Oba has established such notorious reputation for himself that it is very difficult not to believe this statement comes from him. On a second thought I think THISDAY has an agenda on this issue too, I question the editorial judgment of the editor on its source of the story. Quoting an obscure online medium Freedomonline somewhat negate the integrity of the newspaper for a story that happened in Lagos.”
Yemie Fash @Dalacreamz simply wrote,
“We know of oba of benin’s prudence ….oba of lagos will never be forgotten for this show of shame and abuse of traditional title.”
These are just a few of thousands of reactions that have inundated the social media. While some of the reactions opined that the report might be false and just part of the gimmicks of anti-Ambode elements to galvanize the non-indigenes in Lagos to rally against Ambode.
Thousands of postings and accompanying comments on social media have followed essentially similar bent, with overwhelming condemnation.
What is most surprising about the Oba’s threat is that both candidates are from Lagos State and Ndigbo do not have a major candidate on the ballot in the governorship election in Lagos. Even at that Yoruba’s in Lagos are themselves divided on whom to support for the coming governorship election, with some vouching for continuity while others want the change that commenced at the national level to extend to Lagos.
Besides, Obas like other traditional rulers are supposed to be apolitical as people from various political backgrounds are their subjects.
The governorship elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday, and it is believed that Igbo residents in Lagos will vote for the PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, just like they did during the presidential and National Assembly elections that led to the victory of PDP candidates of Igbo origin and from Delta State in three federal constituencies in Lagos.
The victory of the non-indigenes of Lagos did not gone down well with the Lagos chapter of the APC.
According to This Day citing the online news medium, Freedom Online, the first class monarch told The Igbos in a meeting with their leaders on Saturday That “if anyone of you goes against Ambode who I picked, that is your end.”
He was said to have stressed: “If it doesn’t happen within seven days, just know that I am a bastard and it is not my father who gave birth to me. Jonathan is my son and I speak to him everyday. By the grace of God, I am the owner of Lagos for the time being. This is an undivided chair. The palace belongs to the dead and those coming in the future.
“On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos State, the person is going to die inside this water.
“I’m not ready to beg you. Nobody knew how I picked Ambode. Jimi (Agbaje) is my blood relation and I told him that he cannot be governor in Lagos for now. The future belongs to God. I am not begging anybody, but what you people cannot do in Onitsha, Aba or anywhere, don’t do it here.
“If you do what I want, Lagos will continue to be prosperous for you. If you go against my wish, you will perish in the water.”
