Lagos election: LP supporters’ intimidation triggers tension between Yorubas, Igbos

Cases of intimidation witnessed during the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State has sparked tension between indigenes of the state, other Yorubas and the Igbo.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won the contest after battling opponents and those seeking an end to the “dominance” of Bola Tinubu, a former governor and President-elect.

Sanwo-Olu ran for another term against Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), and Abdulazeez Adeniran, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who failed to form an alliance.

Track news learnt Igbos in some areas entered panic mode after the open display of disdain for them at several polling units, PUs, across the state.

After a series of complaints, elections in some places were postponed from Saturday to Sunday over the inability of the voters residing there to exercise their right.

Many of them had been stopped from voting because of a purported agenda to take over the governance of Lagos through Rhodes-Vivour, repeatedly linked to Anambra State.

In places including Ajah, Sangotedo, Oniru, Yaba, Okota, Ikorodu, etc., thugs suspectedly working for the All Progressives Congress, APC, disrupted the process.

At Agbo-Oba street in Oshodi, among others, APC followers were caught on camera warning voters intending to thumbprint for other parties to remain indoors.

Though similar violence occurred during the presidential election, it was perpetrated in the afternoon/evening while voting was going on or just before votes were counted.

Despite a curfew declared by the police, thugs armed with dangerous weapons embarked on a tour of PUs, destroying ballot papers and other election materials.

Those who dared to put up resistance were harmed, as in the case of Mrs Jennifer Efidi. The Surulere resident still exercised her right despite stab wounds and stitches to her face.

However, the tactic deployed for the poll on March 18 was slightly different: block non-APC voters/Igbos right from the first stage of the process – accreditation