More knocks for Akiolu over alleged threat to Igbo in Lagos

MORE reactions are trailing the comments of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over his alleged death threat to Igbos residing in the state “if they fail to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode,” in next Saturdays governorship election.

Despite the fact that the monarch has since denied threatening the Igbo community, former Deputy National chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South West zone, Chief Olabode George has berated the monarch even as he also asked him to apologise to the Igbos.

In similar vein, an amalgamation of self-determination and socio cultural organization under the umbrella of Yoruba Group has also cautioned Akiolu over the utterance.

The group which include the Oodua Democratic Coalition, Project Change Nigeria, Oodua Nation in Diaspora, Yoruba ThinkTank, Oodua Youth Congress and others described the king’s utterance as “unguarded and provocative,”

George said Akiolu, as the father of all, has no business dabbling into politics. He however said that if the traditional ruler insists on playing politics “then he must leave the throne and join a political party.”

According to him, “I was shell-shocked when I heard the comments from my friend. By the Grace of God almighty, that will never happen. I am advising him to back off and apologize to Igbos in Lagos. Nobody can threaten them. This is uncalled for.”

While calling on the non-indigenes, particularly Igbos, to come out en-mass and vote for the PDP in the April 11 governorship and State Assembly elections, George said, “Let me assure all non-indigenes, especially the Igbos, nobody can decree the day you will die. It is just an empty threat.”

He said the PDP deliberately decided to field non-indigenes in areas where they are in majority in the general election as a means of giving them a sense of belonging, a thing the APC failed to do.

Meanwhile the state chapter of PDP has demanded the immediate suspension of Oba Akiolu, till after the elections in order to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in the state.

The party insisted that the conduct of the traditional ruler “may not guarantee free, fair and credible election” and also alerted the security agencies to hold the Oba responsible for any attack on non-indigenes or PDP members.

According to the PDP’s Spokesman, Taofik Gani, “The silence of the governor of the state, Fashola, over 48 hours after such inflammatory statement and threat to life suggests that the Oba must have been deployed by the state government to so act.

He said, “We have at this point been vindicated about the desperation of the APC to retain Lagos at all cost including their plan not to concede the imminent defeat on April 11.”

However, the PDP has charged the non-indigenes and its supporters not to be intimidated by the Obas threat, but go out to vote according to their wish.

In a joint statement titled: ‘Oba of Lagos Crossed the Line’ red by Yinka Odumakin, the Yoruba Group, said if the monarch actually made the comments attributed to him, then he had crossed the “line of royal decency.”

According to him, “We respect the right of Oba Akiolu to drop the crown at Iga and become director of mobilisation for the leader of his party if he so desires; but we detest his hiding behind the throne to do ‘Jeun Soke’ and fan the embers of disunity.

Odumakin appealed to Ndigbo and other non-indigenes to ignore Oba Akiolu’s threat and exercise their votes for candidates of their choice in the April 11 polls.

Those who signed the statement are Rasaq Oladosu, Seun Aka-Basorun, Kolawole Onifade, Francis Abayomi, Makanjuola Adigun Muhammed, Alhaji Tunde Abioye, Kola Are and others.