Barely 48 hours to the governorship and House of Assembly elections, the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee and other Igbo leaders yesterday met with the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, over the controversial warning to Igbo.
Oba Akiolu had threatened Igbo to either vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode or risk hard times in Lagos, a statement, which has generated much criticism.
To douse the tension, a delegation of the Ohanaeze met with Oba Akiolu in his palace yesterday. The team was made up of Chief Ralph Obioha, chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who was leader of delegation; Chief Onwuka Ukwa (Ebonyi State); Chief Haruna Ajah (Ebonyi State); Chief Ignatius Okamene (Imo State) and Chief Mrs. Pat Udoye (Enugu State).
Sources revealed that at the meeting, Obioha had asked Oba Akilu if there was any rift between the Igbo and the palace to warrant his comments, to which the monarch said it was only politics, adding that by Saturday, after the governorship election, it would be over.
The Lagos monarch told the delegation that people were just making a mountain out of a molehill
Oba Akiolu, however, urged all to respect the fact that Ambode was like his son and he was not hiding his support for him. “They should respect my feelings,” he pleaded.
Daily Sun gathered that Oba Akiolu had broken his siesta, for the first time, to receive the Ohanaeze delegation, as a mark of respect for the Igbo.
He told the Obioha-led team that he had been associating with Igbo for long, revealing that Igbo traders were using most of his shops in Isale Eko.
Oba Akiolu recalled his long friendship with Chief Obioha, right from his police days.
Responding, Obioha, on behalf of the delegation, told Oba Akiolu that Igbo would not bear grudge or animosity against him or the people of Lagos.
The meeting lasted for 40 minutes and ended amicably.
I don’t know why Ndigbo would send friends ofoba akiolu to this unscheduled and unsolicited visit.If Ndigno would send a delegation it should constitute of first class traditional rulers like Alex NwokedimNnemeka Achebe,etc and not poli5ical contractors and cultists.
Akiolu still repeated the treath by saying ndigno should respect his support for Ambode as if it is also not our choice to freely support any other candidate.This matter is far ftom being ocer even after this election, Ndigbowill add it to the deportation issue,we must begin to relocate our wealth gradually back to Eastern Region,a stitch in time the sage say saves nine.