₦airaland Forum

ProfCorruption:
This is the requirement to contest for the post of governor, there is no word like indigene there.
Any Nigerian can contest in any state. Simple.
There is nothing wrong if an Igbo, Hausa or whatever is elected the governor of Lagos. After all, Nigerians are getting elected in other countries. However, if Igbo say they want to produce the governor for the sole reason that Igbo should produce it, they won't go far. I am sure if a Yoruba man is campaigning in kano that a Yoruba should be elected a governor, he won't go far. That strategy won't get them far. If Obama had campaigned on the basis that a black man should be the US president, he would have lost woefully. It's only a candidate with an unassailable majority base that can use that route.
However, if a non-Yoruba presents a compelling manifesto, he or she has a track record of performance and he/she is not playing politics of we deserve to be elected but present a case of how to transform Lagos, the Yorubas that I know will vote for that candidate. In other words, present your plans not your ethnicity.

StOla:
Did they vote for her out of the blues or is she married to an Adamawa man, thus making her a state citizen by marriage?

nduchucks:
Are the Igbo residents in Lagos state citizens if they are married to a logos indigines? What about Igbos/Hausas born in Lagos, are they Lagos citizens?

ibedun:
Let me help you

The Nigerian constitution says that a citizen can only claim the state and local government of his father. For example, if okonkwo was born in umunya in anambra, and moved to Lagos in 1962 as a porter in the Nigerian railway commission, and he brought his village wife and families to festac town to live, and they settled down there. If their son, emeka grew up and married another wench and settled down to give birth to okafor, by the law of the land, they are all from anambra. Umunya to be specific.
If okonkwo had a daughter called ngozi who decided to marry Ibrahim from kano but residing in Lagos, then ngozi has right to claim both kano and anambra but not Lagos

ibedun:
Story for the Gods.

Our constitution has limits o! Be the best candidate by a long shot if you like there are positions that are just too powerful, sensitive and extremely risky. The governorship of any state in Nigeria is just too powerful to be given to non-indegenes of the state regardless of candidacy. You don't go and run Dangote's business just because you have the best business degree in the world. No!, you go and start your own business!!

No point arguing here though because we are only members of the public speculating from the outside.

The power that be in Lagos will NEVER allow an Igbo governor regardless of what he has to offer. He would have to take his offer to his state East of the Niger.

ibedun:
Let me help you

The Nigerian constitution says that a citizen can only claim the state and local government of his father. For example, if okonkwo was born in umunya in anambra, and moved to Lagos in 1962 as a porter in the Nigerian railway commission, and he brought his village wife and families to festac town to live, and they settled down there. If their son, emeka grew up and married another wench and settled down to give birth to okafor, by the law of the land, they are all from anambra. Umunya to be specific.
If okonkwo had a daughter called ngozi who decided to marry Ibrahim from kano but residing in Lagos, then ngozi has right to claim both kano and anambra but not Lagos

ProfCorruption:
Where is that written in our constitution?

Chinom:
Thank you for that. This settles the issue between me and you. What is left now is for the Igbos to really get political in Lagos. We do have the numbers to do some serious damage. But, my guys in Idumota, Alaba, Festac, Orile, Isolo, Island etc are only interested in their business. They just want to trade. Things might change in the future though.

aljharem:
This is a man from Epe. LOL

The so called Ijebu people don't even know their own names.

Ambode an ijebu name ?

SMH

ola6:
Yes I agree. However, Agabje's supporters talk as if he is overwhelmingly popular and Bode George can give him the ticket. NO!!!

Politics is more than talk. How many of his supporters are in Nigeria; even those in Nigeria, do they have voter's card?

Can Agbaje stand Tinubu and his murderous tendencies? Any Lagos PDP aspirant should be ready to be hunted by Tinubu and his boys. Can Agbaje withstand it?? Funsho Williams could not, can Agbaje stand it?

cbrass:
The op maybe right concerning that of fashola reason been that names that starts with Ifa have there root in ekiti hence names like fashola , fabunmi,fasoro, faseyi is common over there

nduchucks:

orimsamsam:
. Dont not be blinded by sentiment. All the town u just mention are yoruba names. The major language in lagos apart frm english is yoruba. The major population in lagos are the yorubas. The major problem i have with you is that u want to eat your cake and ave it. You want to be duly active in lagos state politics yet u want to be refer to as an easterner. It never done.

anonimi:
Are Nigerian elected officers in Britain not referred to as Nigeria-born
Were there no 'Easterners' in the Western region Legislative House during the 1st Republic?
Did you read about the cross carpeting that happened in the Chambers at Ibadan then?
As the poster you quoted clearly stated the Igbos in Lagos are not serious enough about politics hence we 'dash' them one commissioner position and expect them to be grateful

duni04:
Lol so Fasholas Family is from ekiti?

nduchucks:
Are the Igbo residents in Lagos state, citizens, if they are married to a Lagos indigines? What about Igbos/Hausas born in Lagos, are they Lagos citizens?

anonimi:
Are Nigerian elected officers in Britain not referred to as Nigeria-born
Were there no 'Easterners' in the Western region Legislative House during the 1st Republic?
Did you read about the cross carpeting that happened in the Chambers at Ibadan then?

As the poster you quoted clearly stated the Igbos in Lagos are not serious enough about politics hence we 'dash' them one commissioner position and expect them to be grateful

ProfCorruption:
Can you tell us more about this cross carpeting?

JProspero:
I read this piece and it threw some light on some issues that are usually argued on Nairaland on the issues that happened among Zik, Awo and Balewa in the First Republic, cross-carpeting, etc. And it is written by a Yoruba man. What do u think about the issues raised?


By Duro Onabule(duroonabule@gmail.com)


It is only fair to pay this well-deserved tribute to the memory of one of Nigeria’s founding fathers, Obafemi Awolowo. Despite all his ups and downs in the struggle for national leadership and even, after losing out, there was never, (repeat never) a time Awolowo accused his only major rivals, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa of conspiring against him.

Ahmadu Bello, the late premier of the defunct northern region did not aspire to Nigeria’s national leadership. Why therefore is this political reminiscence?
Not long ago, law teacher Itse Sagay stirred avoidable controversy when he strayed from an ordinary interview with a Lagos newspaper and pointedly accused former (ceremonial) president Nnamdi Azikiwe and Nigeria’s first (so far only) Prime Minister, the late Tafawa Balewa of conspiring against their political contemporary, Obafemi Awolowo.
The alleged conspiracy, as specified by Itse Sagay, arose from the eventual outcome of the 1962 crisis in the banned Action Group – the tussle for the west regional premiership, whether at the end of the emergency rule, Chief S.L. Akintola was to be restored to office or whether there should be fresh general elections in the West.

The Federal Supreme Court in Lagos ruled that Chief Akintola at the end of emergency rule, should be restored as west regional premier but the Privy Council in London ruled in favour of rival claimant that the emergency rule should be followed by fresh elections. In the face of the potential political/constitutional crisis, instead of complying with the Privy Council ruling, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa maintained his support for Chief Akintola, rushed through parliament an amendment to the constitution abolishing appeals to the Privy Council in London and backdated it to October 1st, 1960. Adegbenro’s legal victory at Privy Council instantly became a nullity.

Conspiracy against Obafemi Awolowo? Would he have done anything less if in Tafawa Balewa’s position? Better still, what was the record before then? History will prove who started such political tactics against Nnamdi Azikiwe/NCNC. The truth, however, was that Obafemi Awolowo in 1962 was simply met in his game.
The (1962) crisis in the Action Group was simply a cut-throat struggle for supremacy between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, and such was not unprecedented in Nigeria. As far back as 1941, there was the crisis in Nigerian Youth Movement over the party’s candidate for a by-election to the Old Legislative Council. Obafemi Awolowo supported Ernest Ikoli, strictly in line with the movement’s constitution that once the president expressed interest in such an election, his candidacy would be unopposed.

On the other hand, Zik supported the candidacy of Samuel Akinsanya (later Odemo of Ishara) to express his (Zik’s) distaste of the derogatory remarks of Lagos members who derided the prospects of an Ijebu man contesting election in Lagos as that would make it impossible for non-Lagosians to contest in future.
With equally matched arguments, the election held and Ernest Ikoli won, thereby vindicating Awolowo’s stand. It was therefore to be expected that when Zik faced the same problem in the NCNC after the 1951 elections in western region which then extended to Lagos, if Awolowo did not support Nnamdi Azikiwe, he (Zik) should at least be left alone to solve his party’s internal crisis. But what happened?

Nnamdi Azikiwe’s party, NCNC cleared all Lagos seats with the following candidates in this order – Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe (then Mayor of Lagos) Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Nnamdi Azikiwe, TOS Benson and ex-union leader H.P. Adebola. By that victory, the NCNC was to send an elected member to the legislative council and Zik as the party’s leader, supported by Benson and Adebola was to go. That of course, would put Zik as NCNC leader ahead of Awolowo in political prospects.

Action Group under Awolowo completely incited Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe and Adeleke Adedoyin to resist Zik’s ambition. Purely circumstantial evidence? Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe’s erstwhile rising political prospect crashed and sent him to complete oblivion. If Awolowo merited any doubt, such disappeared when Adeleke Adedoyin, an NCNC elected member for Lagos crossed from NCNC to the Action Group on the floor of the house of assembly and was instantly elected the first speaker of Western House of Assembly.
The plot against Zik to induce NCNC members to cross the floor to Action Group was later conceded by Action Group’s federal secretary Ayo Rosiji in his biography. Even the late Bola Ige, in one of his books, admitted that it was unfair for the Action Group to have blocked Zik from going to the old legislative council.

It was even amusing reading the late AMA Akinloye in 1994, on Zik’s ninetieth birthday, virtually apologizing on behalf of his fellow NCNC members who crossed to Action Group. Akinloye’s explanation in newspaper advertisements in 1990? Zik was not deserted as an Igbo but that they (who crossed to Action Group (Speaker Adeleke Adedoyin, Finance Minister F.O. Awosika, Agriculture Minister Akinloye) only wanted a Yoruba man to rule the West. Difference between six and half a dozen? There is also the long gap between 1951 when Zik was blocked and 1963 when Awolowo’s protégé, D.S. Adegbenro was blocked.

And if conspiracy was the word, then, there had been many in the mid-years. In 1953, Awolowo (despite the Lagos legislative council and western region carpet-crossing episodes) would still not let off Zik. There was the McPherson constitution which Zik, as NCNC leader considered unsuitable for an ideal federation especially with lop-sided allocation of seats to the House of Representatives in Lagos.
The NCNC, under Zik, therefore directed its federal ministers – Alfred Chuku Nwapa, Okoi Arikpo and E.M.L. Endely to cabinet posts. The three NCNC ministers in defiance of their party’s directive, refused to quit and became notorious as “sit-tight ministers.” A purely political party’s internal conflict, but who openly backed the rebellious ministers against Zik? Obafemi Awolowo and the Action Group. Was that a conspiracy against Zik? As to be expected the three ministers were expelled from the NCNC.

A fall-out of the 1953 sit-tight ministers’ crisis in the NCNC is often mischievously cited against Zik for allegedly unseating Eyo Ita as a non-Igbo leader of government business in Eastern region. While the sit-tight ministers crisis rocked the NCNC and the dissidents (admittedly for political purposes) were supported by Awolowo against Zik, a supposed leader of (NCNC) government business (as regional premiers were then known) Professor Eyo Ita openly supported the sit-tight ministers against their party led by Zik.

At that stage, a show-down was inevitable to test Eyo Ita’s popularity if he was supported by NCNC members in Eastern House of Assembly. A vote of no confidence in his continued leadership (of government business in the East) was moved on the floor of the house and almost unanimously carried except opposition from Action Group members of the House.

Zik had to assume leadership to restore party discipline and political stability. No other party members could have successfully undertaken that assignment.
By the way, when Chief Akintola, nine years later, was similarly accused of not supporting (Action Group) party policy, there was the same attempt to impeach him on the floor of the House Assembly in Ibadan except that his party was more divided than the NCNC (in 1953) and violence erupted in the legislature leading eventually to declaration of emergency.
When the 1962 crisis in the Action Group was rightly or wrongly handled or mishandled, the region-wide violence in the West led to the January 1966 military coup.
Another fall-out of the 1953 sit-tight ministers NCNC crisis was that after their expulsion from the party, one of them, E.M.L. Endeley from Southern Cameroons, formed a new party which was instantly embraced in an alliance by Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
There was the Foster-Sutton inquiry into African Continental Bank on deposits of East regional government funds in the bank founded by Zik. The star witness (perhaps the chief prosecution witness) was Chief Effiong O Eyo, an ex-confidant of Zik. For the expected political execution, Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group secured, for E.O. Eyo, the services of a British Queens Counsel, Christopher Shawcross.

Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
A leading Nigerian lawyer, Udo Udoma was an associate of Zik and of course member of the NCNC. Down the line and as a constitutional right, he had to pursue immediate group interests in the Calabar Ogoja Rivers (COR) state movement.
Instantly, Udo Udoma’s (COR) state movement was wooed by and fell for an alliance with Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. That could easily have been considered a conspiracy against Zik.
Even though Premier Ahmadu Bello limited his personal political aspirations to the north, yet, his Northern People’s Congress (later Nigerian People’s Congress) did not escape internal squabbles. Hence, a member, Ibrahim Imam broke away and formed Borno Youth Movement. Readily, a political ally was found in Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group.

Could that be interpreted or did any NPC sympathizer deem it as a conspiracy against Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa?
In contrast, in1956, the first minister of Education in Western region, Stephen Awokoya, disagreed with Obafemi Awolowo, resigned accordingly from the Action Group and formed his Nigerian Peoples’ Party. None of Zik, Ahmadu Bello or Tafawa Balewa supported Awokoya in any alliance against Obafemi Awolowo/Action Group, and this accounted for Awokoya’s failure to win a single seat in the 1956 west regional elections.

Again, in 1958, another revolt led by Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe broke out against Nnamdi Azikiwe’s leadership in the NCNC. Mbadiwe was egged on by Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. Collapse of Mbadiwe’s challenge led to his expulsion from NCNC. He then formed Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Cameroon. (DPNC). Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group hurried an alliance with Mbadiwe for the 1959 elections. Was that a conspiracy against Zik?
When Joseph Tarka led masses’ revolt in Middle Belt, his major ally was Awolowo’s Action Group. Nobody grumbled a conspiracy against Ahmadu Bello.

All the events occurred before 1963. If therefore for once, (at least, for purposes of political argument) Zik and Tafawa Balewa supported Ladoke Akintola against Obafemi Awolowo, it could not be any political conspiracy. Or if it was a conspiracy, it was only a clone of the tactics tested from Action Group all along.
Was it ever considered a conspiracy when others were on the receiving end of convenient alliances/political expediencies, all introduced into Nigerian politics by the Action Group, why the alarm and whining when others, with the same tactics, had the upper hand?

Deplorable as the 1963 rushed amendment of Nigerian Constitution dating back to October 1st 1960 was, it was not the first retroactive legislation in Nigeria. Tafawa Balewa only copied what the Action Group regime in the West, led by Obafemi Awolowo started in 1955 in the Olubadan Chieftaincy succession crisis to nullify Adegoke Adelabu’s installation of his own candidate as Olubadan of Ibadan.

With the 1955 amendment to the western region’s chief’s law and backdated, it became a criminal offence for anybody to install a traditional ruler without government’s approval or for anybody to allow himself to be appointed a traditional ruler without government’s approval.
The retroactive legislation in the west served its intended political purpose as both Adegoke Adelabu and his Olubadan-elect were robbed of their effort.

chronique:
I as a person would love a Jimi Agbaje(technocrat) candidacy but looking at the fact that Lagos is more of the streets/hood,it's obvious an Obanikoro candidacy would pull more weight. In my own final opinion,I think it's best we merge Musiliu Obanikoro and Jimi Agbaje together. That is one force that the APC cannot defeat,no matter how hard they try. In 2015,anything other than APC is welcome.

PDP should please give us a combo of Obanikoro/Agbaje(grassroot + technocrat) and we'd be sure of dislodging APC in Lagos.

ibedun:
Story for the Gods.

Our constitution has limits o! Be the best candidate by a long shot if you like there are positions that are just too powerful, sensitive and extremely risky. The governorship of any state in Nigeria is just too powerful to be given to non-indegenes of the state regardless of candidacy. You don't go and run Dangote's business just because you have the best business degree in the world. No!, you go and start your own business!!

No point arguing here though because we are only members of the public speculating from the outside.

The power that be in Lagos will NEVER allow an Igbo governor regardless of what he has to offer. He would have to take his offer to his state East of the Niger.

orimsamsam:
. Dont not be blinded by sentiment. All the town u just mention are yoruba names. The major language in lagos apart frm english is yoruba. The major population in lagos are the yorubas. The major problem i have with you is that u want to eat your cake and ave it. You want to be duly active in lagos state politics yet u want to be refer to as an easterner. It never done.

datalossvictim1:
I'll tell you what is bad for Lagos

Horrible roads

Blocked drains

Terrible public schools

Poorly built houses

Lack of constant electricity

No general water supply

Average hospitals

Poor health care

Over population

Air pollution

Scarce jobs

All these and many more and not that confused gay shiiiit ( no offence to gays) you have going up there black man wake up!!! You can do this!! We see you as superior so stop letting your women and children down...

Chinom:
....and who are "the powers that be in Lagos". You think it's the Baale of Igbogbo or the Tinubu's. My friend, you have zero understanding of politic and economics. The only thing making it possible for Yoruba's to continue ruling Lagos is the simple fact that other tribes and ethnic groups are just not interested in the politics of Lagos. Yoruba's have virtually no control or say in the economy of Lagos. What the governor has is the administrative convenience.
The day somebody like Safyu Dantata, Coscharis ( Cosmas Maduka), Oskar Ibru, Ifeanyi Uba or even Dangote decides to contest in Lagos will be the day you will know who owns Lagos. I just chose the names you can relate to. there are other powerful owners of Lagos you know nothing about.
Just let sleeping dogs lie. Like I said earlier, our people are just not interested. Other tribes in Lagos are just there for economic reasons. The day you will drastically encroach on their business activities is the day it will be made clear to you who holds the REAL power in Lagos.

ibedun:
Foolish mentality. Obviously Dantata, Ibru and Dangote know difference between economic power and political power, and they are not a confused lot who thinks everybody owns Lagos. Cosmas Maduka has no political power of any sort in Lagos and moreover he is just a car dealer nothing more. He doesn't produce anything other than criminally converting import wavers - a common crook if you ask me. He and his company are replaceable at the click of a finger.

The Oba of Lagos have said Ambode is the next governor and that is Law. Omo Ibo even Jonathan cannot do anything about that. Ifeanyi Uba, another pathetic criminal swindling Nigerians yet unborn including your children if you have any. Another common criminal. Are these your role models Omo-Igbo? I know the truth scares the hell out of you lot.

I will advise you to go and renovate your father's house in your village just as an insurance.

Chinom:
Hahahhaha.... the Oba of Lagos has just one vote and his people, the indigenes of lagos possess less than 1.5 million votes. If INEC does their registration properly, Lagos should have at least 8 to 10 million voters. Who do you think make up the rest of the voters ?.. Omoniles ? Thank your stars that Alaba and Idumota boys are just not interested in registering. Same goes for Adamu and Hassan the suya seller and mai nama.
They don't register because no contestant from their tribe has shown them the importance of registering to vote.

Chinom:
Hahahhaha.... the Oba of Lagos has just one vote and his people, the indigenes of lagos possess less than 1.5 million votes. If INEC does their registration properly, Lagos should have at least 8 to 10 million voters. Who do you think make up the rest of the voters ?.. Omoniles ? Thank your stars that Alaba and Idumota boys are just not interested in registering. Same goes for Adamu and Hassan the suya seller and mai nama.
They don't register because no contestant from their tribe has shown them the importance of registering to vote.

ibedun:
You are a joker. Do some research, consult the constitution and read the bit about indegeneship very well. That would tell you why Alaba and Idumota boys and the average Hassan sticks to their business. And remember all these people have Yoruba customers, Yoruba landlords, Yoruba government officials and traditional rulers etc etc.
Our constitution is rather convoluted and it has many clauses to ambush the free wheeling Igbos. One of your brothers said earlier the constitution is being changed to redefine the meaning of indegeneship. Well dont hold your breath it would never see the light of day as you need 36 states legislature to ratify the proposal to become law. No chance

willibounce1:
Oga you talk too much. What are you waiting for. Be the Moses of the igbos and read them to the plomise rand. Nwannem contest for governorchip in lagos and tell ya idumota and alaba boys to vote for you. Show ya blothers the importance of legisterling to vote biko.

You thinks say politics na akube or okpuroko marKATE?