Today, hundreds of shop owners, especially of Igbo, were reportedly forced to shut-down their shops at the Idumota Market, Lagos Island and ordered to go and join the APC candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode .
This is coming when the Lagos monarch is under heavy criticism for threatening to deal with Igbo residents of Lagos if they ddid not vote for his APC candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.
One of the traders in an sms message to reporters said, “We arrived Idumota market to our shops as early as 8am. Shortly after, some thugs came, ordering us shut our shops on the orders of Oba Akiolu. They gave us 10 minutes to hurriedly close shops and join the waiting vehicles parked in front of his palace, and heading to Orile, venue of Ambode’s campaign led by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.”
Some of the Igbo traders who deal on pharmaceutical products in the market said when they arrived the market, some messengers informed them that Oba Akiolu ordered everyone to close shop and join buses numbering over 100.
A Pharmaceutical products dealer, said: “We were shocked at what happened today (Tuesday) in Idumota market. When we got to the market, we were caught unawares by a purported order from the Oba of Lagos, directing all traders to close shop and join a bus heading for Ambode’s campaign.
“We were shocked by this directive, because we were never informed the previous day (Monday) about this directive. More worrisome is the fact that I lost millions of naira because of this self-serving coercion by the Oba.”
Another pharmaceutical products dealer, said: “I feel this recent forceful directive by the Oba is in fulfilment of his recent threat to deal with Ndigbo if they fail to vote for his preferred candidate. But as far as I am concerned, no amount of threat or coercion will deter me from making my choice at the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State.”
Some Igbo traders view the monarch’s order as not unconnected with the campaign of Ambode in the Orile axis of the state. President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and other APC national leaders were in Lagos today to lead the campaign train.
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