Some groups of Igbo indigenes residing in Lagos State on Wednesday came under the umbrella of the Association for the Defence of Igbo Interests where they denied participating in the purported dolling out of money by President Goodluck Jonathan to some Igbo chieftains in Lagos some fortnight ago.
Making this denial at a news conference addressed by its Coordinator, Prof. Chris Nwokobia, and Secretary, Dr. Harris Chuma, the association dissociated Igbo indigenes in the state “from the indecent money sharing going on now as a campaign strategy of President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
This was as they adduced 12 reasons for endorsing the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the State, Akinwunmi Ambode, to build on the foundation, which it said, was laid by former state Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his successor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.
Nwokobia stressed at the conference that the association “did not dispute the fact that various so-called Igbo groups are partaking in the act. They are on their own and represent themselves and the few members of their groups and families.
“Millions of Igbo in Lagos are not part of this and we wonder how much it will take to settle all Igbo in Lagos. Those who have partaken in the sharing of dollars and naira are on their own, if we must restate this fact, they should not drag Ndigbo to their illicit business.”
He noted that Ndigbo “are parts and parcel of Lagos and that we share an excellent relationship with the people of Lagos, especially the Yoruba. Ndigbo are the prime beneficiaries of the conducive environment Lagos offers. Ndigbo are the prime beneficiaries of the good, orderly and secure governance in Lagos, especially in the past 16 years.”
He asserted further that Igbo people’s businesses and spirit of enterprise “have flowered so well in the new Lagos, a working and modern Mega City that offers a home for all Nigerians and offers an expansive environment for their businesses to thrive unimpeded.”
Decrying the activities of some self-serving Igbo groups masquerading as leaders of Igbo people, Nwokobia noted that: “It will endanger the Igbos in Lagos in the near future hence we issue this disclaimer.
“This impression amounts to a misreading of the Igbo in Lagos and their well-known republican disposition especially as it relates to issues and politics in Nigeria and do not represent the feelings and political inclination of the majority of Igbos who do their business, live and work in Lagos unimpeded,” he said.
Nwokobia said that the PDP “has been brash, immodest and loud in dropping the good name of Ndigbo for their political ambition to rule Lagos. We note the insinuation being created all over Lagos at present that Igbo are being mobilised with huge money and resources to work for PDP.
“While we do not deny this, we insist that this is restricted to few people who are transacting business with the name of Ndigbo. They neither represent the generality of Ndigbo nor do they represent credible Igbo platforms, which have worked well with the Yorubas since the amalgamation of Nigeria,” the Chairman stated.
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