Guber poll: Concerned residents reject godfatherism in Lagos

Ahead of the March 18 gubernatorial and House of Assembly election, a group of opinion and religious leaders in Lagos State have advised eligible voters to come out en masse and vote against godfatherism in the election.

The group stated this under the umbrella of Leaders After God’ Own Spirit Initiating A New State with acronym Lagosians, led by Bola Akinyemi, condemned the negative effect of the grip of the godfather of the ruling party on governance and growth of the state.

Akinyemi, who was speaking during a media briefing in Ikeja on Sunday, expressed dismay over the continued propagation of ethnic and religious sentiments in the campaign for the 2023 election across Lagos, warning that people should not allow a few politicians to cause division among residents who had cohabited for decades.

He said some politicians due to their selfish interest were hellbent on causing ethnic strife in the state, noting that residents of Lagos irrespective of tribe were peace loving and only interested in participating in a free and fair poll.

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Akinyemi, urged residents to reject any attempt by anyone to replace the godfather in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who held the state by the jugular in the last 24 years of democratic rule with another godfather from one of the opposition party who recently endorsed one of the gubernatorial candidate.

“What Lagos needs is a truly independent governor who will not be at the whims and captives of a godfather.

“We gladly vote for a youth but we prefer a boy-boy , that is a puppet who is tied to the apron string of his godfather.

“We can’t have a Lagos where some ethnic group would be closing their doors, we have stayed together for long and nobody can come now to cause problems among us”, Akinyemi said.

He further revealed that discussion had begun with opposition gubernatorial candidates towards forming an alliance ahead of the poll in Lagos State, but stressed that the group would in the best few days endorse a gubernatorial candidate that would serve the interest of Lagosians.

Also speaking, Femi Ferguson, President of the Indigbo United Association, said it was time for the people to unite and work against selfish leaders who were only interested in dividing the people and causing ethnic crises for their selfish interest.

Ferguson called for calm and peace among Lagosians ahead of the poll, charging them to come out to vote for their preferred candidates, while charging security agencies to protect voters on election day .

“Why would anybody be happy to sow seeds of discord among our people? We are warning politicians, we don’t want bloodshed, we love ourselves. Politicians are the one instigating the trouble because the want to win election.

“We want peace, we don’t want war, our People want to vote in an atmosphere of peace, that is our plea today”, Ferguson said.

Also speaking, Femi Ferguson, President of the Ndigbo United Association, made a clarion call for all residents of the state to unite in the crusade to rid the state of political leaders who create divisions among the people to perpetuate themselves in office.
He called for peace and calmness before, during and after the election, and maintained that security must be beefed up to allow people to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation.