By Chukwudi Nweje
Pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos chapter, has dumped the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and adopted the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
It said the outcome of February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections makes it necessary for the Igbo in Lagos to realign their position before the governorship election.
Ohanaeze said both the APC and PDP candidates are Lagosians, adding that the Igbo have no reason to fight, but look out for the candidate who will protect their interest.
The group made the declarations at a town hall meeting of stakeholders at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, yesterday.
President of Ohanaeze Lagos, Solomon Ogbonna, said Igbo in Lagos decided to vote the APC candidate because, “he is a leader who will be there for us, and he is a man we can trust.
“Sanwo-Olu is the best thing that can happen to the Igbo in Lagos; he is a God sent to the Igbo.
“We must not waste this opportunity. That is why we must come out en masse on Saturday and vote for him.”
Ogbonna, while regretting the harassment of Igbo traders in parts of Lagos after the presidential election, urged them to be more united and show love and concern as it is only through love and unity they can be protected.
Ohanaeze demanded “assurances and guarantees” from Sanwo-Olu, that there would not be a repeat attack on Igbo businesses after the governorship election.
In his reaction, APC Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, said a lot is at stake in Lagos, and that the Igbo will not play with what they have.
“We don’t have a quarter of the investments we have in Lagos back home, so, we must protect them. On Saturday, we must come out and vote Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Obafemi Hamzat,” Igbokwe said.
Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by Hamzat, said the governorship election is about the future of Lagos State.
“The election is not about us, it is about the future and the people who want to use ethnicity to divide us. We must not allow events of one day determine our future,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also promised to run an all-inclusive administration that will cater for all.
“From day one, we said it that our administration will be all-inclusive. We are about development. The assurance I give you is that this election is about the future. Election will come and go, but, our lives will continue.
“My administration will not be looking at what part of the world you are from, it will be about the greatest happiness of the greatest number,” Sanwo-Olu said.