Amid growing fear over alleged ethnic profiling of Igbos and non-Yorubas in Lagos, a group known as the South East Revival Group (SERG) on Wednesday called on Ndigbo in the state to vote em masse for the Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in the March 18 election.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos, SERG President and National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said: “And for the fact that the incumbent has not demonstrated enough political will to protect the non-Yoruba residents of Lagos State, we therefore call on all Igbos and other non-Yorubas in the state to voter en masse for the Labour Party governorship candidate and all other candidates of the party in the state House of Assembly election on Saturday. This is the only way to guarantee that a Governor who will protect them from the ongoing attacks and arson against Igbos and other non-indigenes”.

According to Ezugwu, “The current political reality in Lagos State, where the Igbos have been singled out by some tribal bigots for attack and all manner of threats to dissociate true Igbos in Lagos was provocative enough”.

Making reference to the Saturday’s gubernatorial and state assembly elections, Ezugwu noted that “the ethnic profiling of Igbos in Lagos for self-seeking position of some ill-advised faceless persons who recently took a stand on behalf of Ndigbo”. He added that this is being carried out by some desperate persons who did not only arrogate to themselves as the mouthpiece of Igbos in Lagos but have also endorsed and pledged support to incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his re-election bid.

Ezeugwu queried the purported endorsement, saying that the ground for re-election bid of Sanwo-Olu could not be supported in the face of attacks suffered by the Igbos in Lagos.

Hear Ezeugwu: “The question is: Where has the Governor been since Igbos are being targeted for attacks, including setting their wares and properties on fire in markets in Lagos?

“The Governor, whom they claimed to have had a cordial relationship with the Igbos in Lagos, is yet to arrest and show any form of diligence in prosecuting persons who attacked non-Yorubas, particularly Ndigbo, during the Labour Party presidential campaign rally in Lagos State.

“The group naively went on to argue that ‘Lagos is neither an Igbo State nor a no-man’s land, as some provocatively state’.

“The question is: Is there any Igbo contesting in the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State? Was there at any time that Igbo took arms against the Yorubas to dislodge them in Lagos?

“The group ended up fanning the embers of tribalism and sowed a seed of discord between the Igbos and the Yorubas who have been living harmoniously over the years.

“The cordial relationship between the Yorubas and the Igbos led to intermarriages, with several sons and daughters of such unions dotting every segment of the Yoruba and Igbo communities.

“We emphatically state that Igbos and Yorubas are not at war over the forthcoming governorship election.

“Having established that fact, we wish to state categorically that Igbo living in Lagos State have been taxpayers and have continued to contribute to the economic well-being of Lagos State due to their ingenuity and business mindedness.

“Right now, the post-election safety of Igbos and all other non-Yorubas living in Lagos State is worrisome due to the current unwarranted politically motivated attacks on Igbos in Lagos State.

We then call on all Lagosians, especially the Igbos, to vote their conscience. Were aware that a few compromised Igbo leaders, including some in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, have collected money against their conscience to sway the votes or look the other way while the election is rigged.

“This is the time to let them know that not all Lagosians are for sale! Money won't change anything! How much can compensate for another four years of bad governance and destruction of properties.

“For the avoidance of doubts, the issues that will determine whether or not the incumbent Governor returns are:

“Assurance to the non-Yoruba residents of Lagos State that their lives and property will be guaranteed after the election.

“Persuading Yorubas resident in Lagos, who have been dying in silence since 1999 when Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over Lagos State and turned it and all that are therein, into a personal estate.

“Getting the buy-in of true Lagosians, whose ancestral lineage are traceable to Lagos parents to support the incumbent Governor.

“Among the three categories of Lagos State residents, the born-Lagosians are the most wounded and most troubled since Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over Lagos State from them and denied them every opportunity to emerge as Governor of the state as most anointed candidates for the governorship of Lagos State were not Lagosians with traceable ancestors in the state.

“Clearly, these are the three categories of Lagos residents who have opted to support the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in the forthcoming coming Lagos State elections.

“We commend leaders of other opposition political parties, including Elder Bode George, whose efforts in the struggle for good governance in Lagos State have remained glaringly unquestionable”.

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