Lawmaker seeks Tinubu’s intervention in Lagos Igbo APC crisis

A Lagos lawmaker, Jude Idimogu, has called on Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to wade into the leadership crisis rocking Ndigbo in Lagos APC.

Mr Idimogu, a two-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, made the appeal on Saturday in Lagos, following the clash between his loyalists and loyalists of Joe Igbokwe, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the clash occurred at the official inauguration of Executive Members of Ndigbo in APC, Lagos State, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chapter, at the party secretariat.

Both Mr Igbokwe, the apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, and Mr Idimogu, his deputy, on Saturday disagreed over the list of executive members of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, Ejigbo LCDA Chapter.

The inauguration was conducted by Mr Igbokwe amidst protest from the group loyal to Mr Idimogu, who vowed that the event would not hold because they were not carried along.

Speaking with journalists after the rancorous inauguration, Mr Idimogu said the inauguration was not supposed to hold until all interest groups were harmonised so as not to deepen trouble among Ndigbo in Lagos APC.

The lawmaker added: “Election is coming and the party knows that in this particular zone we have a lot of non-indigenes and they are watching.

“I am appealing to my leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Rt- Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Lagos APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi and other leaders to call Igbokwe to order.

“The party should intervene. We don’t want our party to fail in 2023 elections. Igbos must be carried along.”

Describing the event as inconclusive, Mr Idimogu said that as a serving member of the Lagos Assembly and the only Igbo man in elective position, he remained a factor before any executive would be inauguration in his constituency.

“Joe Igbokwe does not contest election, he cannot come here and control me. This is my territory and I represent people here. It is not fair and acceptable for anyone to come here and inaugurate executives without my input.

“It is not normal, it is an injustice. It is an assault and affront and disrespect to my person, My position is that this inauguration cannot hold because the house is not complete,” Mr Idimogu said.

According to him, his members are not going to fight, neither are they going to destroy anything but must be carried along.

While conducting the inauguration, Mr Igbokwe said there was nothing he had not done to resolve the crisis in the council.

“There is nothing I have not done to put this house together. By the Grace of God with all the powers conferred on me as the Apex Leader, I hereby inaugurate this excos,” he said.

Mr Igbokwe, however, said that all the infighting would be resolved and fixed, adding that the door was still open for reconciliation.

Earlier, loyalists of Mr Idimogu staged a peaceful protest at the venue over an alleged sidelining of their group, saying they were not carried along in the selection process.

Nelly Okafor, one of the Ndigbo women leaders, who frowned at attempt to deny loyalists of Mr Idimogu access into the secretariat, said the inauguration would not be allowed to hold until there is harmonisation.

Mrs Okafor said: “Ndigbo in APC in Ejigbo LCDA have a very big problem and we are factionalised. We have three factions. We solicit the intervention of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Sanwo-Olu and other party leaders to intervene.

“Our leader in this constituency, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has pleaded with the party to hold on for harmonisation to be done because the 2023 election is fast approaching.

“We want intervention of party leaders. We want the party to bring all the Igbos in APC together, let us harmonise and there will be proper inauguration.”

The party had earlier resolved the leadership tussle between the duo by declaring Mr Igbokwe as the apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, while Mr Idimogu is the deputy. (NAN)