The Presidential aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the re-election bid of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State received a big boost, on Tuesday, following the endorsement of the duo by the apex Igbo leadership a.k.a Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State.
The Lagos Igbo were led by the amiable President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.
Tinubu’s endorsement was declared at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat, in Surulere, Lagos State, where the critical Igbo stakeholders converged and made the declaration.
Top dignitaries who attended the declaration included the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers in Lagos State, Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, Ezendigbo Lagos State, Eze Christian Nwachukwu, top traditional rulers from various Local Government areas in the State, captains of Industry including market leaders, men and women across the Local Government areas of Lagos.
President of Ohanaeze, Chief Aguene, explained that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum was inaugurated for the purpose of giving the Igbo in Lagos State direction politically because Ohanaeze is apolitical organization, which showcases Igbo culture and tradition in Lagos State.
Aguene, however, noted that Ndigbo had benefitted much from the Lagos State Government and have huge investments in the State, therefore, it would be unwise not to support the Government of Lagos State since they have accommodated the Igbo especially Governor Sanwo-Olu and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over the years.
He said that it was not for him to declare the stand of the Igbo since he had formed the political wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State and directed the Chairman, Chief Chris Ekwilo, to speak on the decision of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the coming election in 2023.
At that point, Chief Ekwilo explained that it was the first time the Igbo were getting it right in Lagos State and stated that the Igbo in Lagos State will give both Asiwaju Tinubu and Gov Sanwo-Olu block votes in the coming election.
He explained that the Igbo had done it before and will do it in the coming election while asking the Lagos State Government to work with Ohanaeze through the political wing under his leadership.
Chief Ekwilo explained that the political actors that made up Igbo in APC have merged under the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum and they were ready to work and deliver block votes for the ruling party in Lagos State.
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Eze Christian Nwachukwu also spoke in favour of the endorsement and commended the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Aguene, for creating the Political Forum.
He stressed the need to work as a team in order to deliver Lagos to the ruling party in the State and asked the Government to compliment the efforts of the Igbo in the State.
He advised the Igbo in Lagos State to ensure that they have their PVCs, which they will use to vote APC in Lagos State.
Eze Lawrence Eze also supported the decision and urged the leadership of the Lagos Ohanaeze Political Forum to reach out to the traditional rulers in the State to know the roles to play in supporting the Lagos State Government during the election.
Deputy Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, Chief Anselm Udoka, stated that the Igbo have gotten it right by creating the Political Forum and the appointment of Chief Ekwilo as Chairman. He noted that with the political actors in various Igbo political group in the State, namely United Coalition, Mandate, Vision and Southeast collapsing their structure into Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, he is sure Ndigbo will get block votes for Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu.
Other speakers at the event included the founder of Igbo Vision, Chief Babatata Uche, Women Leader, Lady Africa, Secretary of Ohanaeze Political Forum, Chief Smart Onyia, Chief Solomon Chukwu and others, who equally spoke in favour of the decision taken by the Ohanaeze to support Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu in 2023.