The Police Command in Lagos says a traditional ruler, the Baale of Igbara-Oke Kingdom in Eti-Osa Local Government in Lekki, His Royal Majesty, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede will be invited for questioning over recorded AUDIO that appeared to threaten and intimidate residents of a community in Eti-Osa area of the state.
Its spokesman, Mr Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this on Saturday while reacting to the audio that had gone viral.
“The traditional ruler, a Baale, is to be invited for questioning. Intimidating voters will not be allowed.
“Everyone should feel free to vote the candidate of his or her choice,” Hundeyin said.
BRANDPOWER reports that a recorded audio of a meeting held on Monday at the instance of the traditional ruler went viral and has attracted the attention of security agencies and civil societies in Lagos State.
In the 11 minutes and 34 seconds audio, the traditional ruler and one other requested the residents and those doing business in the area to vote for APC in the forthcoming elections.
in the Audio, the main speaker wanted to know how many persons at the meeting had their PVCs and only about 20 answered in the affirmative, out of about 60 persons in attendance.
He wondered what happened to the rest who did not have PVCs.
in the audio a voice could be heard saying: “If we take the number of people here, we will not be less than 60, but only 20 have PVCs; what is happening to the rest?
“We are ready to fight; yes, I am not hiding it; I have narrated everything to you. In Nigeria, there is Lagos; in Lagos, there is Eti-Osa; within Eti-Osa, we have Igbara community and by the grace of God in Igbara today, we can take our decision.
“The people that will be friends with us, that will do business with us are those with PVCs and are willing to vote for our party. Nothing short of that,” he said in the audio.
The voice further said that if the people intended to vote for other political parties outside the one specified, he wouldn’t stop them from doing so, but that such will only happen “outside Igbara community”.
“You want to vote for other political parties? Not here! Elections have been coming and going, we have never done this before.” He said
the speaker said a lot was at stake, warning that he would not allow the residents to jeopardise his future and the future of his children.
BRANDPOWER quotes a second voice in the audio as telling the meeting that only those that will vote for the chosen party would enjoy peace in the area.
The voice even requested them to vote and snap the ballot paper to confirm that they had conformed with the directive to support a particular party.
There are also allegations of collecting photocopies of voter cards from residents, with reports that APC is allegedly transferring cash to intending voters to secure votes for their candidates ahead of the February 25 general election.
The main voice directed his audience to snap the ballot paper after voting, adding that only on that basis will residents, especially non-indigenes will be allowed to continue to do business in Lagos and for peace to reign in Lagos.
In the audio which leaked out of the cabinet meeting, the voice is heard telling members to show their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, during which he took a head count of 20 people.
“If you have your PVC let me see your hand”, he said. He said “We have 20 people that have PVC. The rest what happened, because we are ready to fight, I am not hiding it….by the grace of God today we will take our decision, the people that will be friend with us are the people that have their PVC, people that will be doing business and making profit”, he threatened.
He also threatened that he is ready to fight that they must vote for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu if they want to continue to live in Lagos State.
“Please we are making this call because we want you to be our friends”, he added.
He concluded that “Do what we want you to do…Do what we ask you to do. Go to the party that we have been going. Unlike before when we go and beg ‘please, please, please’, we are not begging this time around. Whatever we are doing in Lagos State, let us do together so that everybody will continue to live peacefully and happily.
Reports confirm that what is going on is not limited to Igbara Kingdom.
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO THREATENING VOTERS IN IGBARALAND, ETI-OSA LGA IN LAGOS. Click on AUDIO
