Bola Badmus- Lagos
The Apex Leader of Ndigbo in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has appealed to Igbos in the state to vote enmass for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Igbokwe accompanied by his deputy, Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu, made the call on Wednesday, while addressing newsmen at a gathering widely attended by Igbo in Lagos State, saying that the Igbo needed to vote Governor Sanwo-Olu and APC candidates in the coming poll to give home- base support for the president- elect, Asiwaju Tinubu.
The party chieftain, who is also the Special Adviser (SA) to Lagos State Governor on Drainages, warned the Igbos not to allow a repeat of the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly election held last Saturday where the APC lost in that election to the opposition Labour Party (LP).
According to him, the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly election was appalling, saying there was the need to improve on the performance and give their best in the Governorship/House of Assembly elections scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023.
“I believe we need to talk to our people on this forthcoming Governorship Election slated for March 11, 2023.
“Formally, I wish to felicitate with our Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, likewise I salute the courage of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi for the peaceful conduct of the election. We thank God the election did not generate into crisis.
“We need to support the president- elect to make him have a political base in Lagos State, in March 11, you need to go out enmass to vote all APC candidates,so that the president elect can have strong home support base,” Igbokwe said.
Speaking further, Igbokwe urged the Igbo that the March 11 election should be devoid of sentiment, just as he noted that the February 25 election was influenced by religious sentiment.
The Ndigbo Apex Leader in Lagos APC further appealed to Igbo in the state that they needed to defend their investment in Lagos by voting the ruling APC moreso that the party and the state governor meant well for them.
“Give Asiwaju Tinubu a background support, it is not good for the President- elect not to have home support.
“He fought for the rights of Igbo, we have to pay him back for the support he has given to us, life is give and take. Give him the home support. If you have invested in Lagos, it is too humongous to play with. Where you live is your home. You need to start making friends and build bridges, we cannot make it alone,” he stated.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has done a lot for the Igbo and every Lagosian, so they should come out enmass to vote for him.
“This is our home and a lot is going on here. Go home and tell our people that the governor is doing his best to make Lagos conducive for everybody. We will continue to do our best as partners in progress to move the state forward,” he added.
Igbokwe, who said he was aware that the governorship candidates of other political parties, including the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) had been making overtures to them to secure their votes, and even trying to convince them that their parents were of Igbo extraction, urged them to ignore their overtures and vote for continuity as represented by the ruling APC..
“Let us support continuity, don’t fall for sentiment, that one person’s mother is from Igbo,” Igbokwe said.
He, therefore, charged the party leaders at each of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to ensure they deliver their base for the APC in March 11, 2023 election, assuring the Igbo that no threat against them would work as, according to him, the matter was being dealt with internally.
