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From Jeff Amechi Agbodo
Ohaneze Ndigbo has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to arrest and prosecute those threatening and intimidating Igbo living in various parts of the country, especially in Lagos and Rivers States ahead of the governorship and state Assembly elections on Saturday.
Vice President of the group, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, made the call in a statement, yesterday, regretting that the governments of the affected states were yet to make any clear statement against the threats nor taken practical measures to reassure Igbo of their safety on election day.
He said incessant harassments of Igbo and threat to their lives on various social media platforms and streets in Lagos and Rivers states and their places of abode have taken a dangerous dimension that should no longer be tolerated.
Okeke-Ogene recalled that since the last presidential and National Assembly elections, Igbo in Lagos State have suffered huge financial and material losses following mysterious fire outbreaks in various markets allegedly instigated by political interest with no arrests made by the relevant government.
He said the Igbo have the constitutional right to support and vote any candidate of their choice in any part of the country during the elections without fear or apprehension.
He warned that the practice of targeting the Igbo for tribal and religious violence could only escalate agitations and instability in spite of proactive measures taken by stakeholders in Igboland to promote peaceful coexistence and maintain stability.
Okeke-Ogene urged security agencies not to allow people, no matter how highly placed, to take laws into their hands and take actions that would truncate and discredit the electoral process and the outcome. He reminded those beating the drum of disunity that it was no longer business as usual because according to him, the youths of the country are now looking beyond ethnic and religious sentiments and are united in taking ownership of the country.
He enjoined the Igbo to remain united anywhere they are and vote according to their conscience.
