In this interview with DAYO OKETOLA and GBENRO ADEOYE, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, said he is more experienced than the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, to govern the state

[/b]Have you recovered from the shock of the recent election in Lagos State, which saw a close contest between your party, All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party?[b]

I’m not sure it’s appropriate to use the word — shock. Let’s go back in history: in the 2011 elections, the President and PDP recorded 1.3 million votes in Lagos State. So for PDP to have recorded about 670,000 votes in 2015 actually means that it lost over 800,000 votes when you compare the two elections. That’s the way to look at it. Fewer people actually voted for him in Lagos State this time around. That’s the way I want to look at it. Maybe the other part is to say that the margin between APC and PDP was not much. We looked at the conduct of elections in relation to how the Independent National Electoral Commission performed. In Lagos State, you will see that in most areas, a whole lot of Lagos residents were disenfranchised due to no fault of theirs which could explain the number that came out to vote eventually. Also note that there were apprehensions before the last election; the whole place was militarised and everyone felt there would be violence and that it would not be safe. That could also account for why a whole lot of people kept away from the streets and did not come out to vote. I believe strongly that we will see a different pattern in the governorship elections.

[/b]Igbo community in Lagos seemed to have voted for PDP and seems to be gaining ground politically in the state. Are you worried about the challenge posed by this population in the state?[b]

We need to quickly correct something, there is nothing like Igbo challenge. Every Nigerian living in any part of Nigeria is free to exercise his or her right and according to their choice. We have not seen any pattern evolving like that in Lagos State. So if a pattern is evolving in a particular area, we need to start analysing it. That has not been analysed yet so there is nothing like Igbo challenge. What we see is that people will stand up and vote for whoever they like. And like I told you, it wasn’t as if there was any pattern that was shown in 2011. We will see what happens next Saturday.

[/b]Are you saying the margin between PDP votes and APC votes will be wider on April 11 in your favour?[b]

Absolutely. In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan won the presidential election by a very wide margin. 1.3 million to almost 200,000 votes but in the Lagos State governorship election, Governor Babatunde Fashola won with 1.5 million votes as against 200,000 votes of the PDP candidate. It was a reversal of the presidential situation. But it’s going to repeat itself next Saturday.

For more you can go to the link below and get more
http://www.punchng.com/feature/hotseat/why-i-reached-out-to-igbo-voters-ambode-lagos-apc-governorship-candidate/

Spreads mat

correct .pls don't bother yourself about those tanoids group.they deceived jonathan.
that chemist man with necklace will be shocked.

nothing like Igbo cahallenge,they can only go to east and challenge their fellow Biafra.capish.

Seriously the Igbos should not allow themselves to be used as a political tool in the hand of the politicians.


Will Agbaje abandon his Yoruba heritage or even the Oba of Lagos in solidarity with his Igbo supporters should in case he defeat Ambode? I can't see that happening because instead he will rather settle his differences with the monarch while the Igbo populations will be left to lick their wounds.



The Igbos should play their politics with decorium with been seen as antagonizing their host communities or putting themselves in an unfriendly position with the other inhabitants of Lagos.