VIDEO: Bode George, Fani-Kayode, group slam Akiolu as a video shows the Oba threatening Igbos

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu

The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, Chief Bode George, has berated the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, for allegedly threatening Igbo people to vote for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, or face death.

George said it was unfortunate that Akiolu had openly taken sides with a political party. He urged the monarch to relinquish his crown and go into partisan politics if he could not remain neutral.

Also speaking, Ogunlewe said the PDP decided to give Igbo House of Representatives and House of Assembly tickets because the party had accepted them as Lagosians. Ogunlewe said now that three non-indigenes have won seats in the National Assembly, Igbo in Lagos would have better representation. He, therefore, urged them not to be threatened by Akiolu and come out to vote for Jimi Agbaje on Saturday.

In a separate statement, the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, described as unacceptable the alleged threat by Akiolu. Fani-Kayode, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, said many of President Goodluck Jonathan’s supporters in the North received similar threats before the March 28 election. He, however, urged the APC to call its supporters to order as no party had a monopoly of violence.

Also, the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria has called on Akiolu to withdraw the curse he allegedly placed on Igbo over Saturday’s governorship election in Lagos State. The CCFN said the Lagos monarch’s utterances amounted to threat and intimidation.

It said that it understood Akiolu’s fear of losing the city to strangers but that Lagos has been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa for decades “and any citizen contributing to its economy and politics can be a bonafide resident.”

In his reaction, Akiolu denied saying Igbo who vote against Ambode, will die in the lagoon. Akiolu, in a statement by one of his white cap chiefs, Lateef Aderibigbe Ajose, who is the Opeluwa of Lagos, said the words of the monarch were taken out of context.

The statement read that Akiolu said whoever works against the interest of Lagos would end up in the lagoon in line with tradition. The statement added that the issue of ‘lagoon’ was expressed in proverbial terms.

...Punch

Watch the video evidence of the Oba of Lagos threatening Igbos who are against his preferred candidate...