Ahead of the March 9 governorship election in Lagos State, the state chapter of the Pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has pitched its tent with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The group which had initially backed Mr. Jimmy Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, said the reason for thr u-turn was due to the outcome of February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The group made the declarations yesterday, at a town hall meeting of stakeholders held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
President of Ohanaeze Lagos, Solomon Ogbonna, described the APC candidate as as a man Igbo’s in Lagos can trust, hencr their decision to support him.
“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 expressing sadness over the attacks on Igbo traders in parts of the state, demanded “assurances and guarantees” from Sanwo-Olu, that there would not be a repeat attack on Igbo businesses after the governorship election.
He urged Igbo’s to be united, as only unity can conquer.
In his reaction, APC Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, said the Igbo’s have a lot at stake in the state, adding that they should mot 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.
