The Department of State Services (DSS) has interrogated Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), after he publicly warned of consequences for residents who refuse to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
The Threat and the Denial
During a recent meeting of the NURTW Lagos State Council, a video captured Adekunle making explicit threats:
“Anyone who refuses to vote for APC or who says he has decided to vote against APC will be dealt with, the person will learn a lesson. If you say you will not listen to us, we too will not agree.”
Following the DSS summons, Adekunle released a video on Friday denying his earlier statements, claiming he was being targeted by “propaganda” and political rivals within the union.
“I was invited by the DSS, and they asked me about my statements and said that someone reported me. I didn’t threaten anyone; this is the will of the people who do not want the work I’m doing in Lagos to prosper,” Sego claimed, despite the widely circulated video evidence. “I was only talking about our union… We know where we belong and who we want to vote for.”
Pattern of Political Intimidation in Lagos
Adekunle’s comments, and the subsequent DSS intervention, highlight the recurring issue of voter intimidation and political violence in Lagos State, particularly by leaders linked to transport unions:
- MC Oluomo’s 2023 Warning: During the 2023 elections, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), the then-Chairman of the Lagos State Parks Management Committee, issued a widely condemned warning to residents who would not vote APC, telling them to “stay at home.”
- Voter Disruption in 2023: SaharaReporters previously detailed incidents during the 2023 polls where voting was disrupted by thugs, allegedly APC members or loyalists, notably at a polling unit in the Sangotedo area.
- Recent Thug Attack: In September, thugs reportedly protected by police personnel attacked the team of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate, during an African Democratic Congress (ADC) event. Rhodes-Vivour’s personal photographer was allegedly macheted and left unconscious during the assault, which the photographer claimed was carried out by police-guarded thugs.
The DSS summons of a high-profile union leader over political threats marks a rare step, signaling scrutiny over the use of violence and intimidation in the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 polls.
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