By Moses Adeniyi
Following the politics of decision towards Saturday’s gubernatorial poll, leaders of another Igbo group in Lagos State under the umbrella of Concerned Ndigbo Lagos on Monday threw their weight of support behind Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his reelection.
The group appealed to all residents of the State to consider the experience and scorecard of each candidate vying to be governor before deciding on who to elect.
The group disclosed that the credentials of all the governorship candidates have been reviewed but no one has what it takes to be Governor of Lagos State, except the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent Governor of the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Their endorsement is coming less than a week when the apex socio-cultural Igbo body, Ohaneze Ndigbo declared support for Sanwo-Olu’s reelection.
Recall NewsDirect had reported that Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pledged its support toward the re-election of Sanwo-Olu, saying Igbo people living in the State will ensure that the governor is re-elected for another term.
The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Lagos State said Igbo people in the State will gladly vote for Sanwo-Olu come March 11, because the Governor represents everything Ndigbo needs to prosper and execute their businesses and professional calling.
The train of endorsement is not unconnected to the recent political dynamics of the State, following the outcome of the presidential election which saw Lagos State, traditional home to the APC, lost its strongholds to the opposition, Labour Party whose flagbearer was Mr. Peter Obi.
Following the trend, there has been fear over unverified projections that Igbos from Southeastern part of Nigeria who have formed a good number of population in the State may not vote for the APC in the State, a development which the socio-cultural and representative bodies of Igbo extraction have denounced.
On Monday, the Concerned Ndigbo Lagos, appealed to the Igbo extraction living in the State to support Sanwo-Olu and come out en masse to re-elect him on Saturday, March 11, 2023, saying Lagos deserves continuity of good governance, which Ndigbo has enjoyed under the current administration.
Speaking during a press conference jointly addressed by the Coordinator of Concerned Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Chibunna Ubawuike, Patron, Igwe Ikechukwu Ojede and Secretary, Chief Ozoemena Nliam, in Ikeja, on Monday, the group said the re-election of Sanwo-Olu for a second term will be in the interest of the Ndigbo and therefore urged Lagos residents, especially Ndigbo to vote for the APC candidate during the Saturday gubernatorial poll.
Ubawuike, who is the National Organising Secretary of the All Registered APC Support Groups for Tinubu/Shetima, explained that a vote for Governor Sanwo-Olu became imperative because his administration had performed creditably well without segregating or discriminating against any tribe in the state.
He, therefore, urged Ndigbo in the State to give unflinching support to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s re-election bid as he had continued to provide an enabling environment for businesses and other tribes to thrive in Lagos and beyond.
Ubawuike said Governor Sanwo-Olu had made tremendous and integrated development as well as performance in various sectors while turning Lagos into a construction site with massive Infrastructural gains, which had brought about investments while building cordial relationship with the Igbos hence the need to vote for him.
Also speaking, the Patron of Concerned Ndigbo Lagos, Igwe Ikechukwu Ojebe, described Governor Sanwo-Olu as an honest man who had been doing well and can take Lagos to the next level of success to make life more better and comfortable for residents.
“On March 11, every one of us should try and vote for Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He has tried in Lagos State. He is a man of the people and he is a Christian. I know him and I trust him. So, we should please try and vote for him. He is an honest man. I am begging everybody; be it Igbo, Hausa or any tribe, please let us vote for Governor Sanwo-Olu. He is a man that can take us to the next level,” he said.