7th April, 2015
They are at it again. Those who promote ethnic hatred while campaigning for votes have swung into action barely a few days to the governorship and House of Assembly elections. This divisive and hate electioneering campaign that reached its crescendo but backfired during the Presidential and National Assembly elections on 28 March is being re-enacted as we approach the 11 April governorship election.
The Igbo and Yoruba in Lagos are being pitched against one another by a political party that seeks to seize power from the All Progressives Congress, APC, at all costs. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is dangerously whipping up ethnic sentiments in order to win the votes of Igbo in Lagos. The Igbo should be wise enough not to be hoodwinked by such dangerous sentiment. They are great stakeholders in the APC government in Lagos State as Igbo sons hold cabinet positions in the state. They should not allow themselves to be deceived by those who want them to play the politics of isolation that won’t do them any good.
Some Igbo tried it during the Presidential election and ended up with the short end of the stick. They got their fingers burnt by voting for outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan on 28 March, who lost. They also short-changed themselves by not voting for Igbo senatorial candidates in the southeast.
Contrary to the hate campaign by the PDP, Igbo have lived in harmony with the Yoruba for decades and their businesses have thrived during this period. The Yoruba are one of the most accommodating tribes in the country. It is that free sprit and friendship that they have extended to the Igbo and people of other ethnic nationalities in Lagos for decades. Common sense dictates that the Igbo and non-indigenes in the state should reciprocate this gesture by allowing peace to reign during and after the governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday. The Igbo in particular have a very high stake in the economy of Lagos and so they must always align themselves with a government that has made it possible for their businesses to continue to thrive.
The choices the Igbo make on 11 April in terms of electing a governor in Lagos will go a long way in either deepening the existing social harmony with the Yoruba or undermine it as they are being persuaded to do ahead of the election. Non-indigenes are major stakeholders in the Lagos project but Igbo are more prosperous than any other ethnic nationality. So they must guard their wealth jealously by rejecting those fanning the embers of ethnic disharmony because of election.