Chinelo Obogo and Gilbert Ekezie
A group, Igbo leaders of thought in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, has condemned alleged unilateral endorsement of the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in tomorrow’s election, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, by the Lagos Ohanaeze President, Solomon Ogbonna.
Leader of the group and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Lagos, Ben Akah, at a press conference in Lagos, on Tuesday, said there was never a time Ohanaeze members in the state met to take such decision. He descrbed Ogbonna’s action as not only a scam, but against the standpoint of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He said the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, with the authority of Imeobi, the highest policy-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had already declared that Ndigbo will support the political party that has the policy of restructuring, which is at the heart of every Igbo man.
Akah, therefore, expressed disappointment that Ogbonna recently went contrary to the decision of the apex body by endorsing Sanwo-Olu as a consensus candidate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“The state president, unfortunately, has shown himself to be a scammer, because all he has been doing is running around APC and Sanwo-Olu, to scam money and put in his pocket. That informed the first outing he had with Sanwo-Olu at the National Stadium, where he conferred a chieftaincy title on him. And that also informed the recent meeting where he also said Ndigbo in Lagos State has endorsed Sanwo-Olu.
Akah explained that when Ogbonna called a meeting and got everybody to attend in his capacity as president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos, he used a scam message, in which he said he was calling a town hall meeting of stakeholders.
“He never mentioned that it is was a political meeting and that Sanwo-Olu was coming there. Unknown to many, he had already had a definitive agreement with Sanwo-Olu and his group of APC. When everybody came into the MUSON Centre, he told us our guest would soon arrive, and everybody thought it was Chief Nwodo, since the invitation read he was the convener of the meeting.
“Surprisingly, Sanwo-Olu walked in and started addressing the people. Thereafter, Ogbonna told us we were there to endorse Sanwo-Olu and people started to react, saying it was not what they expected to hear,” Akah said.
Regardless, Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has urged the Igbo community in Lagos to support Sanwo-Olu.
Oba Akanbi, in a statement, called for unity between the indigenous and non-indigenous people, saying Lagos State was created to foster unity and integration to aid the development of all ethnic groups.
He also said the state has achieved development as a result of the vision of the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a unifying force, stating no other individual has the national appeal and political structure. The Oluwo urged the Igbo community in Lagos to repose their confidence in the leadership structure enacted by Tinubu for the collective interest of the state and country.
He said: “Lagos was naturally created to integrate and cement the unity of Nigeria. It accommodates all, irrespective of your ethnic attachment. It is a centre of excellence in affinity, good governance and quality representation.
“The peace enjoyed by Nigerians cannot be truncated by inciting political statements. Politicians should wise up and stop fuelling ember of discord detrimental to our national unity.”
Akanbi added that Tinubu had made leaders from all ethnic groups, including the Igbo, in elective positions in the state.
He, therefore, cautioned politicians against inflammatory political statements capable of setting the nation back.
, appealing to the Igbo community in Lagos to always work for peace