The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest the Chairman, Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, Musilu Akinsanya also known as M.C. Oluomo, for threatening voters who would not want to vote the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Lagos.
HURIWA in a press statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, Friday in Abuja, said: “For reportedly threatening voters who may not want to vote for his party the APC in the Lagos State Governorship election of March 18, HURIWA has asked the Nigeria Police and the DSS to arrest the Chairman, Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, Musilu Akinsanya also known as M.C. Oluomo.
“Besides, HURIWA has asked Lagos residents to arm themselves with legitimate weapons so as to protect their inalienable right to life since the security forces in Lagos are apparently compromised and working with the reactionary forces bent on causing violence.”
Onwubiko noted that MC Oluomo had threatened the electorate in Lagos to stay at home on March 18 if they will not vote for the APC.
“MC Oluomo said this in a viral video shared on social media on Thursday appearing to be talking to the Igbo ethnic group, many of whom reside in Lagos.
“He said in Pidgin English, “We have begged them, it is not a fight if they did not vote for us. Iya Chukwudi, if you no wan vote for us, please sit down at home oo. We don’t want your vote,” the nation Cordinator disclosed.
According to the civil rights group, “This followed anxiety that there might be a repeat of the Labour Party’s victory over the APC in the February 25 Presidential election, in which Peter Obi scored more votes compared to Bola Tinubu, a strongman in Lagos politics.”
He expressed worry that the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was yet tonot react to MC Oluomo’s threat, insisting that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, or the Director General, DSS, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, needed to order the immediate arrest of MC. Oluomo and ensure his prosecution for incitng to violence.
HURIWA said, “MC Oluomo’s action of voter intimidation and threat contravened Sections 125 and 128 of the Electoral Act 2022, adding that both sections clearly prescribed three years imprisonment for political actors found to incite voters and threaten the electorate in an election.
“MC Oluomo’s action contravenes the Electoral Act 2022, especially Section 125 which provides thus: Any person who at an election acts or incites others to act in a disorderly manner commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.
“Also, MC Oluomo’s action violates Section 128 (a) which states: A person who— (a) directly or indirectly, by his or herself or by another person on his or her behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence or restrain commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years.”
