The Chairman Council of Ndieze and Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Christian Uchechukwu has reiterate the commitment of Ndigbos in Lagos State towards ensuring electoral victory for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2023 elections.
Nwachukwu stated this in a gathering in appreciation of the achievements of the Igbo communities in mobilization of supporters into the APC in preparation for the 2023 elections. Nwachukwu noted that the success achieved so far is as a result of the emergence of Hon. Jude Idimogu as the leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC.
Eze Nwachukwu stated this at a gathering of all Eze Ndigbo from all Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the State, in Igbo Community Centre, Okota, Isolo LCDA.
He added that Idimogu’s assumption to office has influence more Ndigbo to the party through his dedication and towards the progress of APC.
“We have gathered to celebrate the victory. We are celebrating our Apex Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, Jude Idimogu who has been recognised by the traditional leaders and all members of the Igbo community in Lagos State.
“Leadership is all about people. We the Igbo appointed and endorsed Jude Emeka Idimogu as Apex Leader to represent Ndigbo in Lagos APC. The people have given him the mandate as corrective measures to our past experiences of losing elections, our people being lethargic in active politics, and are suspected by the indigenes and party leaders as saboteurs in the electoral successes of the party. In that circumstance, Ndigbo were not trusted again by their hosts.”
Speaking on the lingering issue on the role of the former leader, Nwachukwu said: “Ndigbo in Lagos APC never had an apex leader. What we had was a claimant. One cannot claim to be an apex leader and continue to say he is not an Igbo man; that Ndigbo are charlatans, and that he is a Nigerian. Such a man cannot be our apex leader.
“What the elders in various local Governments and LCDAs did was to come together and re-evaluate the situation that has put Ndigbo down for too long due to lack of leadership. Where were we, where are we and where are we going? These became pertinent questions that provided the answers that necessitated our action to choose a leader that would be acceptable to all Igbo in Lagos.
“We discovered that all the support that the State Government has been giving to Ndigbo through one man who falsely claimed to be apex leader while acting alone and never carried his people along. That informed majority of our people not showing interest in active politics and to vote during elections. They don’t show interest in the affairs of the party in the State.
“We had to take some steps to remedy the ugly situation because the indigenes are angry about our lack of serious commitment to APC in the State. We discovered that Joe Igbokwe has been the cause of all these problems because he goes alone, gets alone and eats alone as he didn’t carry Ndigbo along.
“Ndigbo searched for a credible candidate and decided to support Idimogu to remedy the situation. Since then, he has been going from one Local Government to the other to turn the hearts of our people back to APC. We are happy that the authorities in the State accepted him and that informed our celebration.”
In his response, Hon. Jude Idimogu thanked the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, for their love and support by identifying with the Ndigbo’s in Lagos.
He also commended the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa for his support.
“I assure him that, by God’s grace, all Igbo will come together and support APC in Lagos State and Nigeria,”
“What we are doing is people-oriented leadership whose features include honesty, transparency and accountability. I am not more special than others. It’s just that it is an opportunity God has given me. By the time I step aside, somebody better than I am will take over and continue to direct the people even to better opportunities so that the people would realise their potential, especially in Lagos State.
Olaoluwa Adekunle
