A group, Association for the Defence of Igbo Interests in Lagos, yesterday endorsed All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, for the March 28 election.

Led by Prof. Chris Nwokobia Eze and Dr Harris Chuma, coordinator and secretary respectively, the group also adopted Lagos APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, as its candidate.

The endorsements came as the group gathered together its members from across the state to debunk insinuation that Igbo in Lagos were working with the President Goodluck Jonathan administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to impose a government in the state and fight the Yoruba for the population of Lagos.

Group coordinator, Prof. Eze, who insisted that Igbo in Lagos had never endorsed President Jonathan and that Igbo were not ‘buyable’ or ‘compromiseable’, said: “We note 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 Yoruba since the amalgamation of Nigeria.”

He gave 12 different reasons why Ndigbo in Lagos should continue to vote APC, saying that the party had shown through actions and deeds that it understood what leadership was all about by making the state “a destination for all Nigerians, especially for Ndigbo when the Federal Government under PDP had abdicated its responsibility to Nigerians.”

He said the APC government had made security its number one agenda, contending that this had made it possible for Igbo businesses to thrive in Lagos.

He said: “When kidnappers ravaged the South-East, I know many Igbo Lagosians who travelled to the village to bring their parents to Lagos. Today, Lagos is the safest state in Nigeria where Igbos sleep with both eyes closed and do their lawful businesses without molestation.”

He recalled that the state government had fought for justice for Igbo Lagosians like Miss Uzoma Okere, who was assaulted by a Naval rating, while it also funded the treatment of a popular actress, Ngozi Nwosu, OJB Jeezreel, Prince Ifeanyi Dike, among others.

•Adapted from National Mirror.Photo shows Buhari.

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