Bola Badmus- Lagos
Former Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, on Monday, raised the alarm over an alleged threat to the governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, calling on the security agencies to brace up and ensure a non-violent poll in the state, come Saturday, March 11, 2023.
George expressed this concern while giving an address on behalf of Omo Eko Pataki, an umbrella body of prominent Lagos indigenes, warning that should anything happen to LP gubernatorial candidate, who he described as “vibrant bonafide Lagosian,” Nigerians should know who to hold responsible for it.
This was just as Chief George, who spoke at a press conference, which took place at his Ikoyi office and attended by the former deputy governor, Sen. Kofoworola Buknor- Akerele; Chief (Mrs). Onikepo Oshodi, Dr Lai Ogunbambi, among others, further warned against the repeat of the murder of the former PDP governorship candidate, Engnr Funsho Williams, which occurred in 2007, saying that the concern being raised by him had nothing to do with the party platform that Rhodes-Vivour belonged but being a bonafide Lagosian.
“We wish to inform Nigerians about the heinous plan, to secretly eliminate the Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, the latest move by the take Lagos occupiers, to take him out of circulation before the election on Saturday.
“We, hereby, warn that, should anything happen to this vibrant bonafide Lagosian, who fate has thrown up to free our dear state from the stranglehold of marauders, Nigerians should know who to hold,” George said.
Speaking further, the PDP chieftain, while maintaining that Lagos was a cosmopolitan city and a business hub, called on Nigerians to come out en mass on Saturday to vote for candidates of their choice as governor, without any fear of intimidation and harassment, warning them to be wary of taking yet another wrong step to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
George, while making the call, said Nigeria as a country, under APC government, had been bestride in widening uncertainties, adding: “There are no certitudes anywhere as lawlessness defines the national landscape.”
“We cannot continue with the old ways. The system is now devoid of stabilizing balance. We must rework it. We must push towards a renewal and a rebirth. This is the time for us to have a change of vision through an electoral overhaul,” he said.
The elder statesman condemned a viral video on social media, which showed somebody threatening ‘brimstone and fire’ against anybody who would not vote for the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He said this sad development aimed at provoking the peace-loving Nigerians, was coming against the backdrop of the people’s resolve to effect change in Lagos through the ballot box on Saturday.
“As we speak, there are grand designs, to provoke the peace-loving Nigerians, whose resolve is to effect change through the ballot box on Saturday, as threats are being issued against voters suspected to be willing to vote against incumbency.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a particular video has gone virile, on social media, which showed a weird character, suspected to be one of the agents of the state, threatening ‘brimstone and fire’ against anybody, particularly of South East extraction (Igbo), to dare come out on election day to vote for the Labour Party.
“To this disposition, we, the Omo Eko Pataki, say it is the most heinous crime against humanity in this 21st century, and condemn such in all its entirety. We ask who gave these characters the institutional authority and powers, to query the right of Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibility?” he queried.
“We reject this divisive politics of annihilation of innocent Nigerians, which seek to create anarchy and provoke anger of the citizenry.
“This is the time for us to have a change of vision through an electoral overhaul. We equally urge the electorate in Lagos to go out in their numbers on Saturday, to vote against the plundering that has bedevilled our prosperous state for over two decades as adequate security is assured to everyone out to exercise their civic responsibility,” he said.
The PDP chieftain, however, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the use of a transformational BVAS regime, for the transparency of the exercise, adding that the electoral umpire should make “a departure from the February 25 archaic system, where result sheets were moved manually from polling units.”
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