Following the public outcry that has so far greeted Sunday
night’s outburst against the Igbo ethnic stock and non-indigenes by the
Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on
Monday night met with leaders of Igbo and non-indigenes in the state at
his Hill Top residence, Abeokuta.
Obasanjo was said to have apologised for the outburst of the Oba, who
asked non indigenes in Lagos to leave if they fail to vote for the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akinwumi
Ambode on Saturday.
Coordinator of the Amalgamation of Lagos State NGOs and Civil
Societies, a group of Igbo traders and non indigenes non-governmental
organisations resident in Lagos, Chief Oliver Akubueze, told newsmen on
Tuesday that the former President was full of apologies, promising that
the interest of non indigenes will be protected by the party with the
victory of Ambode in the forthcoming election.
Akubueze however added that Igbo leaders like Prof Anya O Anya,
Pascal Dozie and Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, will meet later in the day on
Tuesday to deliberate on the outburst of the Lagos monarch and come out
with a final decision on it.
When contacted on the meeting, the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos, Chief
Nwabueze Ohazulike, said he was aware of the meeting of the elites but
he could not be at the meeting, adding that an enlarge meeting of Igbo
leaders of thought will hold on Wednesday afternoon at his palace at
Ikotun before a statement will be issued on the matter.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter has however
called on the state governor, Babatunde Fashola to suspend the Oba of
Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over the death threats.
The party in a statement on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary,
Taofik Gani said the monarch should be suspended till after the
governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.
It said this was necessary in order to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in the state.
It stated that it had also alerted the security agencies to hold the
monarch responsible for any attack on non-indigenes or PDP members in
Lagos.
The party further said that Fashola’s silence, over 48 hours after
the inflammatory statement and threat to life suggests that the king
acted on behalf of the state government.
The statement said in part, “the governor is thus a conspirator in
this threat to life and must also be held accountable for any violence
in this elections. We have at this point been vindicated about the
desperation of the APC to retain Lagos state at all cost including the
All Progressives Congress’ plan not to concede the imminent defeat on
April 11.
“The positions of the PDP are coming on the heels of the now viral
threat issued by the Oba of Lagos to Igbos that they must vote for the
APC Governorship Candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, or be drowned in Lagos
water.”
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday vowed that Ndigbo
cannot be intimidated in any part of Nigeria, not the least, Lagos
State, where they have contributed immensely to its development and
economy. He was reacting to threats allegedly issued to Ndigbo by the
Oba of Lagos, HRM Oba Rilwan Akiolu over their political choices and
voting patterns in the last election.
He, however, assured president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, that Ndigbo
have nothing against him as a person and his in-coming administration.
Ekweremadu spoke in his Enugu residence while meeting with officials of
his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from Enugu West senatorial
district.
He noted that the Nigerian constitution upholds the right of every
Nigerian to reside in any part of the country while the National
Assembly have gone further by introducing the new Section 24A in the
Fourth amendment of the 1999 Constitution to confer indigeneship on any
Nigerian who has continuously resided in any state for at least 10
years.
He assured Buhari that Ndigbo would work hand-in-hand with him in
line with their regional agenda and overall development of Nigeria.
Ekweremadu said Ndigbo would give Buhari all the support to succeed
because he was elected as President of Nigeria, not President of APC or
any section of the country in particular.
“He has the choice to be a statesman, bringing every part of the
country on board his government or to run an exclusive government. He
has the choice to ensure that no part of this country is discriminated
against in the distribution of opportunities and development projects on
account of their ethnicity, religion, party affiliation, and religion
or to do otherwise.”
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