A pro-democracy coalition made up of civil society groups and youth movements, the Pro-Nigeria Group, has called on the United States Government to intervene in the threats of electoral violence in the upcoming presidential elections in Nigeria.
The group carried out a rally in support of violence-free elections on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 to the United States Embassy in the Central Business District of our nation’s capital, Abuja in which they called for action to stop alleged plots to mar the upcoming elections with violence.
In a statement issued to the press signed by its leaders, Mr Olumide George, a tech professional and president of the Coalition of Youth Movements, and Stephanie Momoh, a lawyer and national secretary of the Pro-Nigeria Group, warned of a plot by political organisations linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Specifically, the group mentioned Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, the former head of the Lagos State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), as “one of the arrowheads executing this nefarious plot”.
The group described the “disposition and actions” of the motorpark kingpin as portraying “an irony and tragedy of a political tool in the hands of desperate politicians”.
“It is disheartening to us, Nigerians living in Nigeria, particularly the youths that an individual (MC Oluomo) whose children live and school abroad, some of them in the United States of America, would engineer a plot to use other people’s children to spread violence in our country,” the group said.
“Two of MC Oluomo’s children, his twins – Taiwo and Kehinde Akinsanya – were celebrated by him on Instagram when they both graduated from state-owned universities in the state of Georgia in the United States.
“We are hereby calling on the Nigerian Police to invite Mr Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, for questioning and obtain an undertaking that he would conduct himself in a responsible manner before, during, and after the elections,
We are alerting the United States Government to the planned activities of MC Oluomo and calling on the US State Department to place him on a watchlist,” the statement added.
The coalition went on to call on the United States Government to withdraw the visas issued to MC Oluomo’s children and return them to Nigeria, declaring that the US should no longer serve as a safe haven for the children of mischief makers in Nigeria.
“We are also calling on the United States Government to withdraw the visa issues to the children of Mr Akinsanya, and they be returned to Nigeria,” the group declared.
“It is unjust for MC Oluomo to send his children to safety in America and other countries. At the same time, he uses other people’s children to perpetuate violence, endangering the lives of these youths.
“If MC Oluomo wishes that Lagos should be consumed by violence, it is only just that the violence should consume him and his children as well,” the group added.
The pro-democracy group went on to comment the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU) in supporting Nigeria for a successful election exercise.
“Our earnest desire is that the forthcoming general and state elections be peaceful. That the elections would be free, fair, and transparent and that the will of the people would be upheld at all levels,” the group said.
February 22, 2023
STATEMENT AT PRO-DEMOCRACY RALLY STAGED BY PRO-NIGERIA GROUP AND COALITION OF YOUTH MOVEMENTS
WE, THE EXECUTIVES, and the entire membership of Pro-Nigeria Group, in conjunction with a coalition of youth movements across Nigeria, with a membership of over 2 million Nigerians, at this moment declare as follows:
1. We believe fully in Nigeria’s democracy and the promise of the greatness of our dear country.
2. Every Nigerian citizen has a legitimate, unassailable right to carry out their civic responsibility in registering to vote and cast their vote in elections in the country.
3. Every Nigerian has a fundamental right to choose whom they vote for in an election.
4. Every Nigerian should carry out their civic responsibility of voting at elections without fear, threat, or offer of inducement.
5. We stand by the constitutional governments of Nigeria and all earnest and legitimate efforts to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.
6. We support the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and its effort to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections on February 25, 2023, and March 11, 2023.
7. We fully endorse the proclamation by President Muhammadu Buhari on his commitment to bequeath a legacy of a free, fair, and credible election in 2023.
8. We support the non-partisan role of the security agencies of Nigeria in ensuring a peaceful electoral process, particularly the conduct of the elections.
9. We salute the role of international organisations and foreign governments, including those of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and their role in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and upholding the electoral process.
10. It is the responsibility of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enforce the rule of law to ensure that those who break the law are brought to book and meet justice.
11. We also believe that the security agencies of Nigeria are professional, trained, and sufficiently equipped to address any threats to our democracy and the safety of Nigerians everywhere.
12. We believe in the constitutional provisions that every Nigerian is free to live, work, do business, and pursue happiness in any part of Nigeria.
13. Our coalition comprises youth movements and pro-democracy groups working at the grassroots to educate, energise, and empower citizens to get involved in the democratic process.
14. In mobilising Nigerians, mainly women, youth, and students, to register to vote and participate in the 2023 elections, we received feedback from the ground on developments within the political space.
PLAN TO UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON RESIDENTS OF LAGOS STATE
15. Information from the ground in Lagos State, a former federal capital of Nigeria, with over 20 million residents from all across Nigeria, indicates that there are plots by organisations linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unleash violence in the state on the day of the presidential elections, February 25, 2023.
16. According to our sources, the plan is to stage fights among members of the same street and political gangs on election day to give the impression of “clashes” on election day so as to mar the upcoming election.
17. Our sources also tell us that the same sinister plotters have also manufactured fake uniforms of security agencies in the country to be worn by their thugs to disrupt elections in parts of Lagos State that they perceive to be populated by non-indigenes.
18. Our sources have identified one of the arrowheads executing this nefarious plot as one Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, the former head of the Lagos State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
19. It is disheartening to us, Nigerians living in Nigeria, particularly the youths that an individual whose children live and school abroad, some of them in the United States of America, would engineer a plot to use other people’s children to spread violence in our country.
20. Two of MC Oluomo’s children, his twins – Taiwo and Kehinde Akinsanya – were celebrated by him on Instagram when they both graduated from state-owned universities in the state of Georgia in the United States.
21. MC Oluomo’s disposition and actions in Nigeria portray an irony and tragedy of a political tool in the hands of desperate politicians.
22. We are hereby calling on the Nigerian Police to invite Mr Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, for questioning and obtain an undertaking that he would conduct himself in a responsible manner before, during, and after the elections.
23. We are also calling on the United States Government to withdraw the visa issues to the children of Mr Akinsanya, and they be returned to Nigeria. It is unjust for MC Oluomo to send his children to safety in America and other countries. At the same time, he uses other people’s children to perpetuate violence, endangering the lives of these youths.
24. If MC Oluomo wishes that Lagos should be consumed by violence, it is only just that the violence should consume him and his children as well.
25. We are calling on the United States Government to stand resolute in its stance that it would sanction all election riggers and those who interfere with the electoral process in Nigeria.
26. We are alerting the United States Government to the planned activities of MC Oluomo and calling on the US State Department to place him on a watchlist.
THREATS AND PLANS TO DISRUPT ELECTIONS BY SEPARATISTS IN SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH REGIONS
27. We have information that suggests that there are plots to unleash violence on the people of the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria to disrupt the upcoming presidential election.
28. The same organisations linked to the APC are planning to use disgruntled and criminal elements in these regions to heat up the system and cause voters to be discouraged.
29. As a prelude to the plan to disrupt the elections in these regions, this group has begun coordinated attacks on police formations in the region.
30. We call on the Nigerian authorities to do everything to put more effort into unmasking the perpetrators of these crimes and bringing them to book.
31. We call on the US and European Union governments to take more decisive steps in apprehending the elements orchestrating violence in Nigeria who live in their jurisdiction and bring them to justice.
OUR PRAYER FOR THE 2023 ELECTIONS
32. Our earnest desire is that the forthcoming general and state elections be peaceful.
33. That the elections would be free, fair, and transparent and that the will of the people would be upheld at all levels.
34. That the people would choose credible leaders with the competence, capacity, and character to lead our nation in the next four years.
So help us, God.
God bless Nigeria and all Nigerians.
One love,
Stephanie Momoh, National Secretary
FOR: PRO-NIGERIA GROUP
Olumide George, President
FOR: COALITION OF NATIONAL YOUTH MOVEMENTS
