18th August, 2011
The Lagos State Indigene Political Emancipation Forum (LASIPEF), a group comprising of retired uniform men and members of Oodu’a Peoples’ Congress (OPC) of Lagos State origin, has urged the state government to give more political offices to true sons and daughters of the state. The forum, through its leader, Mr. Nawairudeen Idowu, a retired police officer, who made the call recently in Lagos, said the group was formed about two years ago with the aim of agitating for political rights of Lagos State indigenes.
Idowu, who is a member of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ikotun Ward A, said in as much as the forum commended Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for the development he has brought to the state and thanked the former governor, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu, for discovering the governor, said the forum is unhappy with the manner at which political appointments were given to non-indigenes of the state and are made to play a second fiddle or not even given any consideration.
The forum leader cited the case of Alimosho Local Government Area which gave birth to six LCDAs in the state, saying that only one slot was given to an indegene of the area.
According to Idowu, “we have always been segregated in the political arena in the state and we want the state government to look into our demand and make correction where necessary.”
— Paul Sanusi