With just ten days to the February 25 presidential election, the traditional ruler of a community in Lagos was reported to have issued a threat to residents if they refused to vote for his preferred presidential candidate.
In the audio video dispatched to The New Diplomat, the traditional ruler who specifically warned none indigenes residing in his domain on the imminent consequences of ignoring the warning, said he would not want to put his family members and job in jeopardy.
His words,”You do your business here and make money that you take to develop your village. So, you must do what the community ask you to do if you want to continue living here.
You have your phones, so as you cast your vote, please video it as evidence that you voted for our party, and upon our visit to your home, you show the video to us. Otherwise, we shall force out of the community.
“I’m only obeying an order from above and wouldn’t want to endanger the lives of my family members and job,” he said.
Though critics have condemned this feudalistic stance as its antithetical to section 128 of the electoral law and a breach of fundamental human rights.
Also in Delta State, the traditional ruler of a community in Aniocha South local area, was reprimanded by the Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for attending the political rally of the opposition party.
The traditional ruler who was allegedly accompanied to the rally venue by his colleagues and other high Chiefs in the different communities in the council, were also reportedly reprimanded by the state Governor.
Okowa was alleged to have threatened to stop the ongoing road construction linking one of the communities to other major towns as a punishment for the treacherous disposition of the traditional ruler.
In Edo State, a party chieftain was reported to have instigated his body guards to intimidate supporters of a party he perceived as threat to their electoral victory.
The recent attack on Labour Party, LP supporters in Lagos by some yet to be identified thugs has further pulled the cloud on the presidential election.
Disturbed by the dangerous trend, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC implored the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Yakubu Mahmood to provide adequate security for youth corps member that would be posted to the different polling units and centres as Electoral Officers.
Though this barefaced challenge instigated President Mohammed Buhari to launch not less than one hundred and twenty seven vehicles for police operations during and after the general elections.
The vehicles which would aid the police officers in crowd control and Anti riots management, would be deployed to various points to check mate eruption of violence in different polling units and centres.
Prior to this time, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba has issued a stern to police officers who will be deployed to manage possible outbreak of violence in election venues against compromise.
The IG also issued warnings to troubleshooters to steer clear from the different polling units and centres if they have no business there.
In the same vein, the chief of army staff, Let-Gen. Lucky Irabor has pledged to deploy military officers to support the police in maintaining peace during and after the general elections.
It was in consonance to the fear of violence outbreak, that the Rtd Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar led peace committee, for the second time, summoned leaders and aspirants of the different political parties to a crucial meeting to review progress made thus in that regard.
Despite these preparations, political parties still see the election as a do or die affair.
