Ahead of the gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections, a video making the rounds on social media claims to show Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, threatening Igbo voters in Lagos.
The video, which appears to be a screen recording a live video, shows MC Olumo speaking to a crowd of cheering audience packed in a hall.
MC Oluomo, who spoke in both Yoruba language and English, was heard saying “We’ve begged them to vote for us, please it is not a fight. Go to them and tell them Iya Chukwudi– please if you don’t want to vote for us, please stay at home o…”
MC Oluomo is the Chairman of the Lagos Parks Management Committee and a well-known supporter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and has publicly declared his support for the same on different occasions.
Background
Verbal ethnic strife, especially on social media, has erupted in Lagos state since Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won the majority votes in Lagos state in the February 25 presidential election.
Obi swept the majority votes against the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and a Yoruba man. Lagos, being a predominantly Yoruba-speaking state, Obi’s victory surprised some Yorubas in the state who claimed to be the ‘original’ inhabitants of the state.
Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC, is seeking re-election for the second term, against Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour who’s born of an Igbo mother and a Yoruba father.
It has also been claimed that Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba language is not fluent, with the APC claiming he is not fit to be Lagos state governor.
Verification
The CDD Election War Room checked this claim and found the video to be true. The War Room can confirm that the video surfaced on Thursday, March 16, when MC Oluomo addressed APC supporters in Lagos.
In this longer version of the video, MC Oluomo could be heard saying, “It’s not a fight, it’s not chaos, we need our PVCs. We the Yorubas should go there early. All Yorubas should vote first. After voting let’s wait and observe. We’ve begged them and they said they agreed. Once you notice there’s a mistake and you’re leading, you understand…”
Oluomo had also condemned the Igbos in Lagos state. He stated, amongst other things, that if any of them become governor, they would use the offspring of the Yorubas for ritual purposes.
Lagos State Police Command said they are investigating the claim. But Oluomo has since come forward to say the video was a joke, and he was talking to ‘Iya Chkwudi,’ who sells to him.
Verdict: The claim that MC Oluomo threatened Igbo voters is true. CDD War Room found out that MC Oluomo addressed APC supporters in Lagos state, and in what would pass as a subtle threat, asked Igbo voters planning to vote for other parties to stay at home.