By PETER ANOSIKE

Ndigbo resident in Lagos State have appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State Chapter, to give them tickets to contest House of Representatives seats in three Federal Constituencies in the state.

In a communique issued at the end of Ndigbo Stakeholders meeting, which comprised of community leaders, professionals, youth leaders, women leaders, and deliberated on political inclusion, they requested for tickets to contest for Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, and Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituencies.

According to them, for decades, the ruling party in the state has not considered any Igbo son or daughter for its Federal House of Representatives ticket in Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, and Oshodi-Isolo, despite Igbos being the significant voting bloc, tax base, and economic driver in these constituencies.

They said that the continued denial sends a negative message that Igbo loyalty and contributions are being taken for granted, adding that many now interpret it as deliberate neglect, if not outright hatred from the party structure.

According to them, political exclusion weakens national cohesion, breeds voter apathy, and creates suspicion that is unhealthy for Lagos and Nigeria.

“We humbly request that APC National Working Committee, APC Lagos State Chapter, and the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) should, in the interest of justice, equity, and national unity, cede the 2027 House of Representatives tickets for Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, and Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituencies to credible and competent Igbo candidates of the party. Ceding these positions will clear doubts of ethnic bias demonstrate that APC is truly national, and deepen the relationship, trust, and commitment of Ndigbo to the party and its government. This request is not a plea for tokenism but a demand for fairness. There are thousands of qualified Igbo APC members in these constituencies with capacity to win elections and provide inclusive representation for all residents,” the communique dated 23rd April, 2926, reads in part.

Igbo stakeholders stated that Ndigbo in these areas have consistently voted for APC in presidential, gubernatorial, and state assembly elections. Political reciprocity, they said, is a tenet of democracy without getting anything in return.

According to them, APC should align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by practising inclusion. They said that Lagos, as the Center of Excellence, must set the pace in detribalised politics, warning that continued exclusion will further alienate a major voting population “and strengthen narratives of marginalisation, which are inimical to APC’s future in cosmopolitan Lagos.”

The APC National Chairman, Chairman, APC Lagos State and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Lagos State, were all copied in the communique.

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