Lagos State APC woos South South, South East indigenes

Having realised the fact that the population of non-Yoruba indigenes in Lagos State has become a factor that must be reckoned with during elections, the Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila has harped on the need to carry everybody along in the task of nation building.

The lawmaker, who spoke with some Igbo/South South communities leaders and leaders of Surulere Constituency 1 at the weekend, stressed the importance of tolerance and understanding among ethnic nationalities.

According to him, “Despite the ethnic and religious differences in the country, the people must coexist peacefully because God created all the ethnic nationalities for a purpose.”

The lawmaker said Nigeria could only attain its goal if the people see themselves as brothers and sisters and not as enemy and foes, as he said, “God has brought together all the ethnics groups for a purpose and for that we must all support each other and strive to be a united Nigeria.”

While insisting that the differences that characterized the last elections held in the state should belong to the past by by now, Gbajabiamila described the Igbo people as very important in his constituency and Lagos at large.

His words: “The South East and South South indigenes are very important in Surulere constituency and the state due to the fact that they have contributed politically, economically and socially to the development of the state. They therefore deserved their appropriate recognition and included in governance.”

He promised that the APC-led government in Lagos would continue to carry the none-indigenes along, and urged the leaders of the various groups to guard against allowing their ranks to be divided.

Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, commended the support of the South South people as well as the lawmaker for the fruitful collaboration.

He said the APC does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or religion, adding: “the people are partners in progress who are united for a successful democracy.”