President-elect Bola Tinubu says he’s saddened by the electoral violence and divisive ethnic slurs that marred the just concluded Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections nationwide. 

“I’m saddened by the reported isolated infractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states,” the president-elect said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Failing to blame his top ally and notorious Lagos thug, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, and his top aide, Bayo Onanuga, whose anti-Igbo ethnic slurs ignited violence against the Igbos in Lagos, Mr Tinubu claimed he was strongly condemning the violence. 

“Also, the report of arson after the announcement of governorship results in one state did not represent who we truly are: peace-loving people,” he added. 

He further added that, “The physical and verbal assaults committed are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos. I am particularly pained by cases of ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating needless mis-characterisation reported in some locations.”

Mr Tinubu’s statement comes at the conclusion of governorship and Houses of Assembly elections in 28 states on March 18, marred by violence, voter intimidation in Lagos and parts of the country. 

On Tuesday, the U.S. said it was disturbed by widespread cases of ethnically-induced voter suppression in Lagos during the March 18 governorship election, saying such action would not go unpunished

Saturday’s election in Lagos, saw hordes of APC thugs roaming the streets warning citizens who will not vote for their party to stay at home. 

The voters suppression followed an earlier threat by notorious Lagos and APC thug, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, to Igbos in the state to stay home if they won’t vote for the APC in the governorship election. 

Also on Sunday, Peoples Gazette reported how Bayo Onanuga, a top aide of Mr Tinubu, who’s expected to play a key role in the incoming administration, took to Twitter to push toxic anti-Igbo ethnic slurs. 

“Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics,” Mr Onanuga said, tweeting a photo of Peter Obi, an Igbo from Anambra, who backed Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a Yoruba from Lagos, in the Saturday’s election. “Let there be no repeat in 2027.” 

Condemned for his toxic ethnic slurs against Igbos, Mr Onanuga doubled down on his position, describing Igbos as “existential threats to Yorubas.”

Contrary to Mr Onanuga’s claim, Igbos and Yorubas have coexisted peaceful both in Lagos, and other parts of the country, with members of both tribe voting against the APC during the just concluded 2023 general election.