From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Ndigbo in APC Lagos State, Ajeromi Local Government Area Chapter, has unanimously endorsed all their party candidates in the forthcoming General election in 2023, saying they are stubbornly Batified.
The Igbos in APC who are a group of people with political allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) made the endorsement at the Ajeromi Council Headquarters on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
Speaking to Journalists, Chief Cashmere Uche Amagba, the Chairman, Ndigbo in APC in Ajeromi Local Government Area said the gathering was for the endorsement of the APC candidates in Lagos, it was also predominantly to dispel the rumour that all Igbos in Ajeromi Local Government are all ‘Obedient.’ “We are here to endorse our candidates, we want to show them that we are not all Obedient but we are stubbornly Batified, we want to show them our strength and to tell them that we are supporting our great party, APC, that is the reason for the gathering.”
He added that he was very excited that the event met his expectation. “I am very excited with the outcome of the event, and we pray that on the day of the election our people will come out en mass and vote all our candidates.”
One of the candidates who were endorsed at the event and who is going for the Federal House of Representatives Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Honourable Kalejaiye Adeboye Paul (CAP) said the endorsement by Ndigbo was a fantastic move, adding that it would dispel erroneous speculations that have been going on particularly in Lagos against the candidature of Bola Tinubu.
“It would dispel erroneous speculations that have been going on particularly in Lagos against the candidature of our chieftain, our mentor, benefactor, the architect and builder of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the speculation that the Igbos will not vote for Asiwaju, and indeed will not vote for APC candidates, but the Igbos in Lagos have demonstrated by words and action that they are with APC, that they are going to vote APC, not just in Ajeromi/Ifelodun but for the entire country, National Assembly, State House of Assembly, Governorship and Presidency.
“I want to congratulate Ndigho for standing by us. I promise that this their support will not be taken for granted, and we are going to continue to compensate them, we will continue to live in peace and harmony, we will continue to consider them for purposes of appointments and positions, that is my message for them,” Hon. Paul stated.
Hon. Sobur Akanbi Oluwa, who is contesting for Lagos State House of Assembly, Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency 2 spoke on his plan if elected, he said he will attract Lagos State presence to Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government. He also hinted of his zeal for sports and said sports and entertainment will receive special focus from him if elected in 2023. “Most of the youths in Nigeria, they are very much interested in sports and Entertainment, that will be a very good way to empower them and also harness their potential.”
The Youngest candidate in Lagos State, Oluwa, spoke on what he would do differently if elected, “I will try as much as possible to see that my programmes are youth oriented.”
He advised Indigbo to continue to live in harmony and peace with not just their hosts, but also with other tribes. “The Ajeromi Ifelodun is a mini-Nigeria, we have tribes from all over the country, even people from the diaspora living here, however we live in peace here and I urge them to continue living with us and position themselves politically, to be relevant and continue supporting APC as we go into the 2023 election.”
Eze Uche Dimgba, Eze Okpotemba of Igbere, the Executive Coordinator, Ndigbo in APC, Lagos State, on his part, said that the essence of the endorsement was to ensure that their votes go to the right channels “We are here to endorse our candidates, all the candidates of APC. We started this endorsement on the 4th of October, 2022, when we endorsed all our candidates, now we are moving into the local governments, local government by local government, today we are in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government. And it is going to continue like that, to make sure that our votes, no one is short. We are Ndigbo in APC, and we are going to support our party and candidates. We are not against any other party, if you want to support your candidate, go ahead, but I want to assure you that at the end of the exercise we will win,”Dimgba stated.
On his part, Anslem Njoku, Deputy Chairman, Ndigbo in APC Lagos State said “We are here to endorse Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President, the Governor, the three Senatorial candidates, the 24 House of Representatives candidates, and 40 House of Assembly candidates who are contesting in this 2023 general election. Ndigbo in Ajeromi has endorse them today and we stand on that.”
