Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the governorship election to leave the Igbo and face the electorate.
The candidate who spoke recently in Lagos, wondered why APC and its agents are speaking with both sides of their mouth with regard to the Igbo, who are just like other non-indigenes in the state.
What he had to say is reproduced below verbatim:
“This name-calling and reference to an ethnic group that is not even on the ballot is becoming very embarrassing. The only time I was compelled to make reference to the Igbo was in response to their falsehood, which I punctured with my argument. They are the ones who keep exacerbating the political atmosphere with their indiscretion.
“If you look around the city, you will not find me wearing an Igbo attire or costume in my posters, billboards and other outdoor campaign materials on display. My opponent is the one who wears Igbo attire with head gear and hand fan to match. I refrained from all these to avoid being misunderstood, yet they would not let me be.
“They are also the ones going from one Igbo Town Union to the other, claiming to have been endorsed by the entire Igbo people living in Lagos State even though we know the true story behind every of such spurious endorsement.
“Is it not funny? All of a sudden, they are going about professing undying love for Igbo people but the Igbo know who loves them. In this season of election, everything may be fair, but we are still not complaining. We are only worried that we are being dragged into their appalling actions even when we exhibit high standards by not openly saying we have been endorsed. Still, they turn around to malign us.
“Our strength is in our base and I have said this repeatedly. We are in this race with the consciousness that non-indigenes, which include the Igbo, can make a huge difference because they are also not insulated from the rot and mismanagement of the last 19 years.
“But non-indigenes are not the only people who have identified and supported us heavily in the past. We also have across tribe, professionals, youths, students, traders, artisans, women, civil servants, activists and ordinary Lagosians who need genuine change.
“So, let the APC leave the Igbo and other ethnic groups alone and focus on the issues and how to lift our dear state. This noise is diversionary and an attempt to deviate from the subject matter which revolves around democracy and freedom, our core mandate which we hope to deliver to the people of Lagos next year”.