A group under the aegis of Leaders After God’s Own Spirit Initiating A New State (LAGOSIANS), poised to ensure a peaceful coexistence amongst different tribal representations and the birth of selfless leadership has declared that Lagos is better off as an opposition state.
Pastor Bolaji Akinyemi the group’s convener made this assertion while addressing a press conference at the Protea Hotel Ikeja on Saturday.
Akinyemi berates the fact that the Lagos polity has seemingly been pocketed by the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, and the best thing that can guarantee freedom is for the opposition party to take over the reins of power in the state.
“I as a person entitled to my dream of Lagos, believe that Lagos is better off the pocket of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“You may disagree with me but the truth is nobody has been able to convince me that Lagos is not inside his pocket.
“So for me going to the governorship election it is critical that we take Lagos out of his pocket and give Lagos the freedom that Lagos deserves.
“Asiwaju made a jibe last time he was in Osun for campaign, he said some person call themselves a particular political party and he said they will labour in vain.
“If you are familiar with Asiwaju as much as I am, at least with his political communication you will understand that he doesn’t say anything except he feels so strongly about it.
“I know that Lagos may be experiencing the labouring in vain he referred to in Osun.
“For me an opposition Lagos is the way to go.”
The cleric who also is the Convener of the Apostolic Round Table added that many political dynamics have been deliberately introduced into our body polity to achieve selfish ends, charging all that this dynamics need be doused.
“Now going into this election we have seen dynamics in Lagos been thrown up, the dynamics of tribes and even religious which has subsided.
“What you hear now is that the Ibos want to take over Lagos and the Yorubas must not allow that to happen and all kinds of narratives being thrown up, I doubt if we are going to have an election on Saturday if we do not douse this narratives that is gaining momentum.
“We can’t have a Lagos where the Ibos cannot stay, where markets are getting bombed, where the Ibos are closing their doors, that is not the kind of Lagos that we want to live in .
“We have lived together as good neighbours and that must continue.
“We must not allow anybody to throw spanner in our wheel of progress that we have made as an example to the rest of Nigeria.” Said Akinyemi.
He further noted that the group will breast tape a forum of discourse to herald a new Lagos, where all hazy issues concerning our coexistence will be resolved.
“It is important that we bring everybody together and discuss the way forward bearing in mind the all important mission of the need to free Lagos.
“We know that political parties on their own part have tried all that they could to bring the two contending forces of the PDP gubernatorial candidate and that of Labour Party, to work together for that purpose.
Akinyemi hinted that if the merger is not achievable in the political way, the people of Lagos will come to the rescue.
“ I believe that if that is failing in the days ahead, then we as the people of Lagos may have to necessarily do what the party have not been able to do.”
He also recounted the basis for the group’s take on the endorsement of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by the Lagos PFN Chairman, citing lack of adequate consultation as an infraction they won’t want to commit again.
“No we don’t want to commit the same infractions by coming to the public and say XY candidate is the way to go, we want to give every Lagosians the opportunity to be part of Lagos stakeholders meeting which we are going to title ‘Crossroad’.
“Where we are now is a crossroad and it is important that we reason together all of the groups that believes in what we are doing, every one of us will come together and then be able to table before you the path to a greater Lagos but it is important that we make that decision.”
Also an integral part of the LAGOSIANS Pastor Femi Don- Fergusson, lending his voice to the issue, stressed the fact that Ibos,Yorubas and Hausas are intertwined family wise and any divisive tendencies should be eschewed.
“I don’t know why anybody can sow a seed of discord amongst the people of Nigeria. We should be talking about humanity. God predates any religion.
“Anyone instigating anyone against the Ibos must come to the realisation that Ibos are not a push over, they are everywhere we have intertwined relationships so this will not succeed.
He urged all to forget about old tales of tribal disparity between the Ibos and Yorubas and forge ahead peacefully.
“We don’t want any religious bigot, sharia will not see the light of the day. No religion will rise against another.
“Politics without bitterness should take the fray, we are here to chat a new course.
“Tribal Bigotry must be shelved, the election can’t be used to settle the quarrel. Consultation will be done and open decision can be taken in the interest of peace.” Said Pastor Fergusson.