Some thugs believed to be sent by Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos State have forced more than one hundred traders in the Idumota Market, Lagos Island to close down their shops and abandon the business for the day solely to join the campaign team of All Progressive Congress, APC governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.
It was learnt that the order was from Oba Akiolu who had initially issued a warning to the Igbo residents to desist from voting the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Jimi Agbaje else they would face death within seven days.
Most of the traders who were cajoled into rallying for Ambode were said to be of the Igbo origin.
Recounting their ordeal, one of the anonymous traders said, “We arrived Idumota market as early as 8 am. Shortly after, some thugs came, ordering us to shut our shops on the orders of Oba Akiolu.
“They gave us 10 minutes to hurriedly close shops and join the waiting vehicles parked in front of his palace, and heading to Orile, venue of Ambode’s campaign, led by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.”
Some of the Igbo traders, who deal on pharmaceutical products, said they arrived the market on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 only to be informed that the monarch ordered everyone to close down their shops and join buses numbering over 100.
One of them whose identity was also not disclosed said, “We were shocked at what happened today (Tuesday). When we got to the market, we were caught unawares by a purported order from the Oba of Lagos, directing all traders to close shop and join a bus heading for Ambode’s campaign.
“We were shocked by this directive, because we were never informed the previous day (Monday) about this directive. More worrisome is the fact that I lost millions of Naira because of this self-serving coercion by the Oba.”
Also speaking was another anonymous trader who maintained that nobody had the right to dictate who he would cast his vote for.
He said, “I feel this recent forceful directive by the Oba is in fulfilment of his recent threat to deal with Ndigbo if they failed to vote for his preferred candidate.
“But as far as I am concerned, no amount of threat or coercion will deter me from making my choice at the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State.”
