Apex Igbo group, Ohanaeze, on Monday lamented the unexpected turn which the country’s 2019 elections have taken, warning darkly about a ‘gathering storm’ hovering over the country. It also bemoaned the ordeal of Igbos in Lagos as a fallout of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held last Saturday across the country.

Ohanaeze President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said in a statement: “Forty-eight hours after our elections, we still have no results. There is hardly any voter in Nigeria, who does not know the results of elections in his polling booth. The INEC server is down, yanked off by INEC. Conflicting results dominate the social media. The two major national parties claim contradictory victories. Returning officers in Rivers and Imo claim to be under siege, being executed by a minister and a governor respectively. Igbos in Lagos are being threatened for exercising their civic rights to vote. This morning, they were stopped from opening their market stalls in Oshodi.

“The Acting Inspector General of Police refused to pick my three calls to him. The Oba of Lagos remains quiet. The Governor of Lagos State makes no broadcast. The safety of more than four million Igbos living in Lagos seems to be of no concern to him. The Jagaban threatens Igbos to relocate, if they do not vote for his party. Thanks to Afenifere for its salutary and comforting voice. The Commander-in-Chief, maintains an ominous silence. The International Community wonders what a country this is. Professor Yakubu Mahmood be warned. Remember 1966. Remember 1983. Our democracy was upturned on those two occasions for the action or inaction of our electoral commission. Governor Umahi, you cannot be Chairman of South-East Governors and remain unconcerned about the plight of Igbos in Lagos and unperturbed by the manipulation of our votes in the South-East. History is recording our action and inaction.

“I appeal to Igbos to remain calm and law-abiding while remaining resolute on our resolve to seize the moment of this election to change the character of our governance. May the Almighty God save our country from sliding into another crisis.”