By Ogochukwu Isioma
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos has asked the police to hold Labour Party (LP) candidate in the state’s governorship election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour responsible, should there be breakdown of law and order.
This was as the ruling party asked the LP gubernatorial candidate, popularly known as GRV, to “stop playing the victim” over the conduct of the Saturday’s governorship election in the Southwestern state.
metrowatchxtra reports that the APC was reacting to a statement credited to Rhodes-Vivour where the LP candidate had called out the Independent National Electoral Commission and the police not to set Lagos on fire.
”If tonight Lagos catches fire, it will not be because it’s our fault; they did not do the right thing. INEC still has hours to make things right,” Rhodes-Vivour posted on Twitter, moments after casting his vote.
The Labour Party standard bearer had equally raised the alarm over alleged voter intimidation, while calling on INEC and the police to intervene urgently before the situation gets out of control.
Reacting, however, the APC in a statement issued by its Lagos spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said “the LP candidate is playing the victim”, adding, “This old trick won’t work; discerning Lagosians know they are all lies deployed to attract sympathy.”
The statement reads, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a statement made by Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour on today’s elections.
“He accuses the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police of “provoking Lagosians” and warning that “if tonight Lagos catches fire, it is not our fault”. He says “a lot of places are still under attack by thugs and hooligans of the APC”.
“This scaremongering is typical of bad losers who lack the spirit of sportsmanship.
“The security agencies should note Mr Rhodes-Vivour’s threat to set Lagos on fire as his predilection for violence and warmongering is well known to Nigerians. Should there be any breakdown of law and order in any part of our state, law enforcement agencies should know who to grab – Mr Rhodes-Vivour.
“We are compiling reports of how APC supporters were harassed and attacked today. Some of the reports are really scary.
“Now the LP candidate is playing the victim. This old trick won’t work; discerning Lagosians know they are all lies deployed to attract sympathy. Our party has no need to be violent because we are sure of the glittering credentials of our candidate Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu who will never be associated with violence.
“We advise LP and its candidate to embrace peace instead of threatening to bring down the roof on everybody. It won’t work.”
