Ndigbo ’ll work for APC victory in 2023

By Chinaka Okoro

The Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and Chairman Council of Ndieze, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, has said that Ndigbo in Lagos will continue to work for the progress and the electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023 election.

Eze Nwachukwu stated this at the Lagos State, Igbo Community Centre, Okota in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) during the gathering of all Eze Ndigbo from all the local government areas and LCDAs, Ndigbo in Lagos APC and other Igbo residents in Lagos.

They gathered to appraise the level of success in the mobilisation to integrate the Igbo in Lagos into the APC in preparation for the 2023 elections. He noted that since Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu assumed office as the leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, serious mobilisation has been embarked on to sensitise the Igbo in Lagos to the need to support and work for the progress of the party.

He also revealed that Idimogu’s has brought more Ndigbo to the APC because of his leadership style, adding that Idimogu has gone round many local government areas and LCDAs, meeting with their leaders and other Igbo residents.

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He said: “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.”

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 has been 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.”

He advised Ndigbo in Lagos State to remain steadfast in APC “because better days are coming.”

Idimogu expressed his appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, for their love, kindness and support, even as he expressed his gratitude to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Tayo Ayinde, for identifying with Ndigbo in Lagos.

He expressed gratitude to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, whom he described as “the speaking Speaker, Speaker of Speakers” for his love, kindness and support.

“I assure him that, by God’s grace, all Igbo will come together and support APC in Lagos State and Nigeria,” Idimogu who said he and his people had to start early to mobilise Ndigbo for 2023 electoral victory of the APC in Lagos State said.

Continuing, he said: “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.

Some of the Ezes in attendance were Odoziobodo of Ikorodu Kingdom Eze P.C. Uhegbu, Eze Samuel Udoh, Eze Chris Offia, Eze Steve Etolue, Eze Michael E. Ezekwobi, Secretary of Council of Ndieze Eze Johngreg Ezebuadi, Eze Ignatius Chinagorom, Eze S.A. Uduije, Eze Guy Okoli, Eze Emmanuel U. Oparachukwu, Eze Leonard A. Agha (JP), Eze Emma C. Okonkwo, Eze Chukwukadibia Umenwekwe, Eze Igwaobi Frank Atuzie, Eze Peter C. Umeh (JP), Eze Gabriel Obi, Financial Secretary of Council of Ndieze Eze Nwaju Ofordile, Chairman Ndigbo in APC Lagos Chief Ernest Nwankpa, among others.