For reportedly threatening voters who may not want to vote for his party the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lagos State governorship poll scheduled to hold tomorrow, Saturday, March 18, 2023, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately arrest Musilu Akinsanya also known as MC Oluomo.

Besides, HURIWA has asked Lagos residents “to arm themselves with legitimate weapons so as to protect their inalienable right to life since the security forces in Lagos are apparently compromised and working with the reactionary forces bent on causing violence.”

MC Oluomo, Chairman of Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, had in a viral video threatened the electorate in Lagos to stay at home on March 18 if they will not vote for APC.

MC Oluomo in the viral video shared on social media on Thursday appeared to be talking to the Igbo ethnic group, many of whom reside in Lagos.

He said in Pidgin English: “We have begged them, it is not a fight if they did not vote for us. Iya Chukwudi, if you no wan vote for us, please sit down at home oo. We don’t want your vote.”

This followed anxiety that there might be a repeat of the Labour Party’s victory over the APC in the February 25 presidential election in which Peter Obi scored more votes compared to Bola Tinubu, the strongman of Lagos politics.

As of press time, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had not reacted to MC Oluomo’s threat.

HURIWA in a statement issued Friday afternoon “is hereby asking the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba or the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi to order the immediate arrest of MC. Oluomo and his prosecution for incitement to violence.”

HURIWA in the statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said that MC Oluomo’s action of voter intimidation and threat contravened Sections 125 and 128 of the Electoral Act 2022. It added that both sections clearly prescribed three years imprisonment for political actors found to incite voters and threaten the electorate in an election.

HURIWA said: “MC Oluomo’s action contravenes the Electoral Act 2022, especially Section 125 which provides thus: Any person who at an election acts or incites others to act in a disorderly manner commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.

“Also, MC Oluomo’s action violates Section 128 (a) which states: A person who— (a) directly or indirectly, by his or herself or by another person on his or her behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence or restrain commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years.”

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