19th May, 2010
Lagos State Chairman of the Igbo Coalition and a member of the G40, Chief Chris Ekwuilo, has declared that Igbo in Lagos will support Governor Babatunde Fashola for a second term.
Speaking with P.M.NEWS, Chief Ekwuilo affirmed that Fashola would receive the support of the Igbo during the 2011 governorship election because of his infrastructural programmes in the state.
“We have already met and decided to support Governor Fashola for a second term. We are doing this because of what he has been able to achieve in the state.
“Look at his infrastructural programmes, there is no other governor in the country that can match this.
“Even the blind can observe what Fashola is doing and the deaf and dumb are hailing Fashola for his projects,†Ekwuilo stated.
The Lagos AC chieftain described Fashola as the best man to continue the job in 2011, adding, “he is a hard working governor with eyes for details.â€
Reacting to attacks on Fashola by Igbo property owners along Orile and Badagry road whose buildings were destroyed by the state government to pave way for a five-lane road and rail transit, Chief Ekwuilo appealed to them to see it as the sacrifice they have to make in the actualisation of Lagos as a mega city.
“My Igbo brothers should realise that Fashola inherited the mega city project from previous administrations. He was not the originator. He is just trying to fulfill this dream and all of us should cooperate with him to realise this objective.
“It’s unfortunate that some people had to lose their buildings as a result of the need to expand and modernise the Lagos– Badagry expressway. But they should see it as the price to pay to wear the golden crown,†Chief Ekwuilo added.
The Igbo leader also denied that there was a rift between Governor Fashola and his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ascribing the rumour to opponents of AC.