POLITICS
Ahead of next year’s general elections, there are those who believe that time is ripe for the Igbo to produce at least the Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

One of such people is a chief­tain of Igbo United Initiative (IUI), a pressure group and Chairman, Win Peace Investment Ltd, Chief Amobi Nnadiekwe. He said that people from the South-East zone in Lagos will vote for any political party that fields an Igbo as deputy governor. In this interview, he speaks on various issues and claims that the Igbo constitute 43 per cent of the population in Lagos. Excerpts:

Your group has been sensitising the people of South-East to vote any political party that fields an Igbo as deputy governor of Lagos in 2015. So far, what has been the response?

The response was wonderful. We plan to visit town unions and markets in Lagos State especially, the ones dominated by Igbo. It is time to be part of the political process in the state where Igbo contribute over 52 per cent to the state’s economy. Of course, you know that South-East constitutes 43 per cent of the state population. To that extent, we deserve the position of deputy governor. With the number of Ndigbo in Lagos, no doubt, if collectively we decide to vote for any party in Lagos, the party must win. Lagos State has continued to marginalize us politically, hence, Igbos have decided to demand for their right. We have written to all the political parties in the state, informing them of our resolve to vote any party that fields an Igbo as deputy governor.

We have given them early notice, so that they won’t say we took them unawares as they are about to begin their primaries. Anything short of making an Igbo man deputy governor in 2015 will not be accept­able to Ndigbo. For the very first time, this vision has united Igbos in Lagos and in the Diaspora. This warning is extended to parties in the other states where Igbos are the second largest population. They should, as a matter of policy, field an Igbo man as deputy governor in 2015. The next stage is rally, which will be organized in the major centres in Lagos and in the affected states.

What other steps do you hope to take to make this happen?

Arrangements have been concluded to visit Igbo leaders and organizations including Ohaneze Ndigbo towards achieving this noble cause, because the population of Igbos in Lagos cannot be undermined in the forthcom­ing general elections in the state, even though we failed to realize this in the past. Our votes have always decided electoral victories in the state. Any party we vote for must win, hence, we refuse to be used to make up numbers in future elections in Lagos. Ndigbo will participate actively like never before in the 2015 general elections. We will continue to sensitize our people not to vote any party that fails to give the deputy governor slot to Igbos in Lagos. So, this is an assignment for parties jostling to win the gubernatorial race in the Centre of Excellence state next year. We don’t care about party, what matters most to Igbo is a party that has our interest at heart, whether APC, PDP, Labour or APGA. But if no party fields an Igbo man as deputy governor, we may be forced to boycott the governorship election in Lagos State.

Why the demand for deputy gover­nor slot instead of the governorship seat considering the population of Ndgbo in Lagos?

It is possible for an Igbo to become governor of Lagos State. If you cast your mind back, you will remember that Zik won election as Premier of Western Region but was denied the opportunity and he ran back to become Premier of the Eastern Region. So, it is possible. If Ndigbo can come together, we will produce governor of Lagos State in the near future. We must start from somewhere, and that is the deputy governorship seat in 2015. Lagos is our second home. Majority of our investments are in Lagos and we have a good population. We are law-abiding citizens because there has never been any misunder­standing between Igbos and Lagosians. The relationship has been cordial, hence, even the indigenes wouldn’t mind to elect Igbo as governor.

Don’t you think that the issue of in­digenisation should be first enshrined in our constitution before making such demand?

Indigenisation is one of the important is­sues addressed at the just concluded National conference. However, that won’t stop us from making genuine demands such as the one at hand. Indigenization is welcomed by all Nigerians. What it means is that a Yoruba man can be governor of Anambra State; an Hausa can contest and win a senatorial seat in Ondo State. And until we get to this stage, we are not yet a nation. Once again, I beg my broth­ers in Lagos State to allow Igbo participate fully in the 2015 political process in the state by zoning the position of deputy governor to Igbo.

We have paid our dues and have contrib­uted in the development of the state which warrants this demand. Except they see us as slaves who don’t deserve fair treatment. But if Lagosians are sincere, they would agree with me that Igbos are stakeholders in the Lagos project. We have developed virtually all parts of Lagos, a sign that we are not willing to leave the state or do anything to destroy or disrupt the relative peace in the state. If the truth must be told, Ndigbo have developed Lagos more than South East.

Source: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77479

Patiently waiting.


Modified:
But is he right about the statistics of 43% population and 52% economy of Lagos


He might have a case if these figures are correct.

With the way the last two IIT's Fashola and Thifbu finished Lagos I believe Nigerians regardless of tribe will pick the person that will build Lagos in real like not just NL!

That will be a great feat if such happens

WHY NOT?WHO D CAP FITS,LET HIM WEAR IT O!

MAY ITS TIME FOR PDP TOdo her home work by tryin to field an igbo deputy coanididate

LoLing so hard, Igbo, Deputy Governor in Yoruba Land...Lol.. xx... Wonders shall never end. Ti sigidi ba fe te, a ni ki wo n gbe oun l'odo. LoL. Maybe the Igbo should contest for governorship first in Kano since they seem to dominate the state also, maybe from we may consider them for deputy governor office assistant in Alausa, Ikeja.

Interesting.

From commissioner to deputy governor,after deputy governor,then it will be governor. If Yoruba should fall for Igbo's trick,I will say indeed Yoruba are fools. I still remembered what igbos did to Ngige for associating with Yoruba.

crusader01: From commissioner to deputy governor,after deputy governor,then it will be governor. If Yoruba should fall for Igbo's trick,I will say indeed Yoruba are fools. I still remembered what igbos did to Ngige for associating with Yoruba.

. This is politics bro (A game of numbers). You can't undermine our voting capacity in Lagos. Any party that fields an Igbo man as deputy Governor gets our vote. It's simple. Deal with it.

can a yoruba man win an election in SE. no way. dis guys shud concentrate on what dey knw hw to do. making money. igbo commisioner dey and also igbo vice chairman dey too. we don try abeg

Let me book space,i will contribute when it made fp

Dem don start again oooo.....first dey made dem commissioner...dey nw wan be dep. gov.....kip on dreaming....flat heads...

NaijirianKing: Like play, like play .. e go happun. It first starts with suggestions, then it will eventually become actions.

Dream on.

Nonsense! A people that are yet to find their bearing in our polity are talking of a party fielding one of them as deputy governorship candidate.

Not going to happen.
No be rain join goat ,cow and horse together.
Let them rescue their states from their laggard governors.
The Enugu they make noise does not have the capacity to test for ordinary Ebola .
Something Lagos ,ogun,oyo and osun can do .
Ask any of these noisemakers on nairaland to enunciate their governors' policies and the thoughts behind it.
you will hear duh.
Nothing.
Tax-payers' money is an extension of their business empire.
Hardly any social services.
We denounce in its entirety.
It is more likely that a cerebral northerner or Edo /delta folks than anyone east of that river.
That SW Leaders have deliberately kept the core SE animosity away from common omoluabi folks does not mean they are stupid.
We can see the heartlessness with our own eyes.The many ostracised people from SE society,the poor kids left to fend for themselves on the street/expressway,the women who for lack of options ,turn to prostitution ,the "I don't care attitude " and extreme greed of the leaders .
Every part of the country has numerous challenges but many of the SE problems are caused by their own leaders.
I have said it and I will say it again,while the leaders of other region sometimes remember to take the bacon home ,the SE Leadership take it straight to their bank accounts.
A poor ibo man ,Hausa man ,Edo man in ondo or osun can make a decent living via farming,buying and selling ,technical services etc. ,he will be considered useful as long as he is of behaviour.
In osun ,his son will be fed at school while he works.
Once he gets home ,he has access to between 8 and 14 television stations .
He has access to more than 10 radio stations.
His son can get the best education Nigeria has to offer without stepping out of that state.
And many more.
Wouldn't it have been nice if Nigeria were to be such a country ?
Yes it would have been nice .
No ,Nigeria is not such a country.
Enough of "One Nigeria " in odua states.
First of all ,Get to our level of the true "one Nigeria " first( not the Abuja one) ,then we can talk.

padeolu: LoLing so hard, Igbo, Deputy Governor in Yoruba Land...Lol.. xx... Wonders shall never end. Ti sigidi ba fe te, a ni ki wo n gbe oun l'odo. LoL. Maybe the Igbo should contest for governorship first in Kano since they seem to dominate the state also, maybe from we may consider them for deputy governor office assistant in Alausa, Ikeja.

which yoruba land? We are not talking of osun or ado ekiti, we are talking of lagos, no man's land, with massive igbo investment

Reality has always been a stranger to the Ndigbos!

If you guys could not vote for Ojukwu throughouts his tryst in politics, its now you want to vote and influence Yoruba political landscape?

Keep dreaming!
At least its free!

gidjah: MAY ITS TIME FOR PDP TOdo her home work by tryin to field an igbo deputy coanididate

For Lagos 2015 Gov election, PDP/APC will never field a non-Yoruba as deputy Gov, the elective post they may consider for non-Yoruba will is Councillor.

valuka: One of such people is a cIn this interview, he speaks on various issues and claims that the Igbo constitute 43 per cent of the population in Lagos.

If Igbos constitute 43% of lagos population, is he trying to tell us that Igbos have the highest population in Lagos ?
Going by simple calculation , Anyway i don't take this type of news serious.
Until non-Igbos attain atleast commissioner in any of the eastern state before they can be consider for deputy gov or gov

Trust me,my Yoruba brethrens didn't even read the thread before crying ,they saw the topic and burst abeg make una chill .

If they like

I suggest before the igbos start nursing that tall ambition, they should first and foremost produce the local government chairman in sabo n gari Kano and even in your alaba area of lagos. It is only a stranger that has been made too comfortable by the host that begins to ask for what rightly belongs to the son.
For the records, Lagos state had always and will always be part and parcel of yorubaland. When some of you come out crying that Lagos state was developed by federal government , it shows a lot of you need to go back to history class to understand that even under the regional government of awolowo and akintola, all other parts of present day lagos except Lagos island, VI and some parts of yaba under the direct control and administration of the western region.
A whole lot of igbo people will also be quick to throw forward outrageous lies about them controlling the the economy of lagos. For the records, the investments of Dangote and TY Danjuma alone in lagos state are enough to dwarf the entire investments of the igbo race in lagos, these guys are not lagosians and they would never lay claim to any political office nor come out to make blatant noise like the igbo man. Moreover, the igbo man should realise that trade which most of them are engaged in is not the same thing as business. When all u do is sell a finished product of a business man, u are only an arm of his business.
My advise to the igbo people is to go back to the south east and develop the place instead of planning in frutility on how to become the deputy governor in lagos state. I guess Fashola gave u people the appropriate answer the last time some of your olojukokoro brother raised the issue. It is easier for an igbo man to become the governor of Kano state than Lagos, u know what that means. Biko, Igbo kwenu! Stop dreaming.

meforyou1: which yoruba land? We are not talking of osun or ado ekiti, we are talking of lagos, no man's land, with massive igbo investment

If wishes were horses... Being accommodating doesn't imply stup.idity, neither does it make one a coward. But trust me, when the time is right, you flat headed folks will pack your so called china-made investments and return to your eroded landlocked savanna land to go sell okirika and panla. I wonder why y'll are quick to forget what happened between 1967 and 1970..

banega: Lool, I knew this post was definitely gonna pain a lot of yoruba people (tribal bigots) • . Whether you like it or not your next deputy governor is gonna be an Igbo man right from the south east ,. Deal with it!! Or die trying. Cry babies ±

Dream on dreamer.

Appreciate what you have and not what you don't...its good to dream big, but better to live in reality....

padeolu: If wishes were horses... Being accommodating doesn't imply stup.idity, neither does it make one a coward. But trust me, when the time is right, you flat headed folks will pack your so called china-made investments and return to your eroded landlocked savanna land to go sell okirika and panla. I wonder why y'll are quick to forget what happened between 1967 and 1970..

My friend you're a joker here.
By 2020, all the economy of the entire south west will be run by Igbos via proxy

Descartes: That will be a great feat if such happens

There's absolutely nothing featful (pardon my Zulu) about giving anything to anyone based on their tribe or religion!! How many times are we gonna keep saying this

Let the best man win!!!
Let the numbers decide!!!

#EOD.