5th March, 2015
The Igbo Community in Lagos State, popularly known as Ndigbo, says they are not part of the indecent dollar sharing by President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos State.
At a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday, spokesperson of the Igbo Community, Prof. Chris Nwokobia Eze said the Igbo were aware that some disgruntled elements among them have gone to partake in the dollar sharing but that the majority Ndigbo never took part in the sharing of the dollars and would never be part of it.
“This is not to dispute that various so-called Igbo groups are not partaking in this malfeasance. They are on their own and represent themselves, the few members of their groups and families.
“Millions of Igbo in Lagos are not part of this and we wonder how much it will take to settle all Igbo in Lagos. Those who have partaken in the sharing of dollars and naira are on their own, if we must restate this fact. They should not drag Ndigbo to their illicit business,” said Eze, who spoke under the aegis of the Association for the Defence Of Igbo Interests In Lagos.
He added that “we are concerned that the greedy and selfish interests of some self-serving Igbo masquerading as leaders of Igbo people and self serving groups stand to endanger the Igbo in Lagos in the near future hence we issued this disclaimer.”
At the press conference held in Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Eze said the Igbo in Lagos would vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had done nothing for them.
He said APC in Lagos has shown through actions and deeds that it understood what leadership was all about and had shown leadership in Lagos and made Lagos a destination for all Nigerians, especially for Ndigbo when the Federal Government under PDP had abdicated its responsibility to Nigerians.
“APC government in Lagos has made the issue of security the number one agenda and this has made it possible for Igbo businesses to thrive in Lagos. 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 Igbo sleep with both eyes closed and do their lawful businesses without molestation.
“APC government in Lagos led by Governor Babatunde Fashola fought Ebola to a standstill and effectively stopped the spread to other parts of Nigeria. This led the United Nations to declare Nigeria Ebola free. It could have been worse if not because of this courageous intervention that led the way in curbing this deadly virus in Nigeria.
“APC government in Lagos has created a conducive atmosphere for Igbo businesses to thrive in Lagos, whether it is real estate, commerce, transport, artisans, okada (motorcycle taxis), churches, construction and other professions,” he said.
He added that more than 500 Igbo are working in the Lagos State ministries and Local Governments in various capacities, including the powerful office of Commissioner for Budget and Planning.
“In Abia State, a PDP Governor, Theodore Orji sacked Igbo from Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi states,” he said.
Eze, however, debunked the impression being created that Ndigbo were against the present wind of change in Nigeria, saying “we want to correct the impression that Ndigbo are very comfortable with the state of affairs in Nigeria as to oppose the change that is raging all over the country.
“We want to debunk the sentiment that Ndigbo have been bought to sabotage the change that is raging all over Nigeria today. We want to warn that it is wrong to bandy Igbo alongside the greedy tendencies of some traders of fortune who are doing money business with the name and fate of Ndigbo. Ndigbo are not hatchet people. Ndigbo are not Judases. Ndigbo are not money lovers that could be persuaded to sell their mothers for money.
“We are all for change and Ndigbo will maintain significant presence in the change movement sweeping all over Nigeria today. We urge Ndigbo in all parts of Lagos, who are living in Lagos because other parts of Nigeria are not offering them what Lagos is offering them, to vote for APC to consolidate their interests and gains in Lagos,” Eze stated.