Anya-Ndi- Igbo, particularly called on politicians of the Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), to desist from pitching the Yoruba against the Igbo with vicious falsehoods dished out from their propaganda machinery.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Against the backdrop of bad blood and vindictiveness being directed at the Igbo residing in Lagos in the run up to the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections, an Igbo group, Anya-Ndi- Igbo, has warned against the Igbo being made victims of an issue that does not concern them.
Anya-Ndi- Igbo, particularly called on politicians of the Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), to desist pitching the Yoruba against the Igbo with vicious falsehoods dished out from their propaganda machinery.
The group observed that the Igbo and Yoruba have lived happily together in love and mutual understanding and respect, over the years and warned against any agenda that would break the existing relationship.
Anya-Ndi- Igbo made the remarks in a statement titled; “2023 National Elections: Matters Arising in Lagos State”, signed by Elder (Dr.) Uma Eleazu, Chairman Board of Trustees, Anya Igbo and officials of other affiliate bodies of the group. It emphasised that the Igbo ethnic group is not a political party and not contesting in the election, stressing that the Igbo, as a distinct ethnic group, has no preferred candidate in the governorship election in Lagos state.
“Igbo people are members of numerous political parties including the APC on their individual choices and are supporting their party’s candidates. No Igbo man is contesting the election for the office of governor. We have no dog in this fight. We should not be made the victim”, the organisation stated.
It recalled instances of threats and intimidations directed at the Igbo in the state as well as destruction of their properties and places of business, often at supervision of highly placed individuals of the state, regretting that in the face of these unprovoked attacks, the victims have not found any protection from the state or any of its agencies.
The group described the ugly developments as blatant violation of the constitutional rights of Igbo people living in Lagos – their rights to life, their rights to lawful association, their right to vote, their right to self-identity, their rights to engage in lawful economic activities and their rights to hold opinions and reminded the Governor that the Igbo living in Lagos state are his subjects.
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The statement reads:
2023 NATIONAL ELECTIONS: MATTERS ARISING IN LAGOS STATE.
This statement is issued by Anya-Ndi- Igbo, Lagos Chapter on behalf of Ndigbo living in Lagos State in reaction to the spate of threats to their lives and properties
The recent happenings in Lagos since the political activities leading up to the elections came to a crescendo have been alarming to us all who are referred to as non-indigenes especially those of us that are of Igbo stock.
Our kih-and-kin have been singled out and targeted for verbal abuses, intimidation, virulent propaganda, deliberate misrepresentation to Lagosians as everything EVIL, ferocious violent attacks, deliberate destruction of means of livelihood, arson and murder. The social and frontline media are awash with stories of attacks on the Igbo and also with gory pictures and video clips of incidents. The governments at all levels, federal, state and local, have been made fully aware. They have chosen to do nothing. We have not found any protection from the state or any of its agencies. They have rather looked the other way whilst these atrocities happened and to our mind, with acquiescence or silent approval.
Some of our Royal fathers at the grassroots level, the Baales, have been recorded to have invited Igbo people domiciled in their communities to meetings, and threatened them with the destruction of their lives and their means of livelihood should they fail to vote for the APC. Thugs have boldly used video clips circulated on social media handles to issue death threats to Igbos if they dare vote for any party that is not the APC. Igbos are commanded to vote for the APC, take pictures of their ballots as they cast them, and preserve those pictures as evidence that they voted for the APC as a condition that will guarantee their continued peaceful existence in the communities in the post-election period. These threats have gone viral on social media, the culprits’ faces are shown on video clips and the government keeps mum.
A few markets built and operated by traders of Igbo descent have been set on fire in Lagos, the latest being the motor spare parts market in the slums of Ajegunle where at least one person was murdered. A similar event took place in the Isolo/Ikotun area of Lagos where the selective destruction of shops and merchandise owned by Igbo traders was said to have been supervised by the very respected Royal father of the community, the Baale. These, two incidents, are in the public domain and we have heard of no action from the State and local government.
We are aware that all these steps are being taken by the Lagos State APC to suppress the votes of any competing party in the elections. They erroneously believe it is the Igbos that will not vote for the APC. We do not want to convince them otherwise but we will like to state one fact. His Excellency, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, of blessed memory, said and we quote: “any party that has been in government for one term of four years does not need to campaign for votes. It is the visible work it has done for the people that should constitute its campaign.” Why then would a party that has been in government and in power for 24 years rely solely on intimidation, thuggery, murder and all sorts of criminality to win an election and single out the Igbo for victimization?
We wish to state for the umpteenth time. The Igbo ethnic group is not a political party. It is not contesting this election. It has never contested any election in the past. It will never contest any election in the future. The Igbo, as a distinct ethnic group, has no preferred candidate in the governorship election in Lagos state. Igbo people are members of numerous political parties including the APC on their individual choices and are supporting their party’s candidates. No Igbo man is contesting the election for the office of governor. We have no dog in this fight. We should not be made the victim. The Igbo and Yoruba have lived happily together in love and mutual understanding and respect. The politicians of the Lagos State APC should desist from pitching Yoruba against Igbo with vicious falsehoods dished out from their propaganda machinery just so that the APC can win the gubernatorial election. After that, what next? The seed of distrust, mutual suspicion and hatred must have been sown. How does it get taken care of? How does society move on from there?
We believe that the APC can win this and any other election without shedding Igbo blood or any other blood for that matter. The party surely has other legitimate ways to win its election in a fair competition in accordance with the law. Sometimes we wonder if the APC realizes that they have a very significant Igbo population with them as members and followers in this same Lagos State.
Igbos are Nigerians. The law of the land permits the Igbo man to live in any part of the country he chooses and pursue a legitimate livelihood. The law of the land permits and guarantees him freedom of association, freedom to belong to any political party or none at all, and freedom to vote for any party of his choice. We reject in totality, the attempt of the APC in Lagos state to deny the Igbo these rights.
We consider all that has happened in the past few weeks and are likely to happen going forward, a blatant violation of the constitutional rights of Igbo people living in Lagos – their rights to life, their rights to lawful association, their right to vote, their right to self-identity, their rights to engage in lawful economic activities and their rights to hold opinions and express them. We wish to remind the Governor of Lagos state that the Igbos living in Lagos state are his subjects. He has the duty as the Chief Security Officer of Lagos state to provide them security for their lives and their livelihood. We call on him to step up to this responsibility.
Finally, we call on all Igbos living in Lagos state and who are registered to vote in Lagos not to be intimidated by the threats of violence against them as watertight arrangements have been concluded at very high levels to secure voters during and after the elections. Just come out and perform your civic duty. It is your right.
______________________ ___________________ ___________________
Emeka Ugwu-Oju Engr. Onyechi Ben Akah Chief Ikenga Ejituru
Former Deputy President General, Ndigbo Lagos. Unite Nigeria Group President, Abia State Town Unions Association (ASTUA), Lagos State
_____________________ ___________________ ____________________
Chief Amaechi Ebeledike Chief Linus Igbudu Chief Felix Nnachi
President, Association of Anambra State Development Unions(AASDU), Lagos State, , President, Association of Enugu State Development Unions (AESDU),Lagos State, President, Association of Ebonyi State Development Unions (AEBSDU)
___________________ ____________________ _____________________
Chief Chris Ekeocha Chief Chuks Smith Chief Nnamdi Nwigwe
President, Association of Imo State Development Unions (AISDU) President ADSTU
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Elder (Dr.) Uma Eleazu
Chairman Board of Trutees
Anya Igbo