THIS is Lagos, and contrary to ‘uninformed’ narratives, Lagos is a land of the Yorubas. It is not a ‘No man’s land!’ However, over the years, the bustling status of this mega city has attracted people from various works of life, especially the Igbos who migrate in their numbers to Lagos, even dominating the major markets across Nigeria’s fastest-growing city.
The votes from the Igbos have always been instrumental to the outcome of any electoral contest, as they pull a large population. This was evident on February 25, 2023, when Peter obi won in Lagos, and one cannot rule out the Igbo factor in his victory.
READ MORE: WHY PETER OBI WON TINUBU'S LAGOS
LGAs which voted massively for Obi are Alimosho, Ojo, Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin, Ikeja, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, and Somolu. Most of these LGAs house the popular Ojo market, Trade Fair Market, Alaba International Market, Iyana-Iba market, Ladipo Market, Computer Village, and others, where the Igbos dominate. In all, Obi defeated Asiwaju in his home with a total of 582,454 votes as against Tinubu's 572,606 votes, a difference of 9,848 votes.
Following this victory, attacks on Igbos across the state were recorded, which led to the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo urging Lagosians to vote out Sanwo-Olu, adding that the attack in Lagos State was an attempt to pitch the Igbos against the Yorubas.
However, the Igbos in Lagos are this time divided with some of them backing Rhodes-Vivour seeing his maternal Igbo links and the fact that he is of the party of their brother, Peter Obi, whom they all turned up for.
In a series of endorsements, the Lagos State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo had at a forum with the leadership of the state Leaders of Thoughts, led by the Yoruba Council Worldwide, expressed their support for Sanwo-Olu.
The President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mike Kelechi and Sunday Ossai expressed unalloyed support for Sanwo-Olu’s re-election.
Similarly, the Igbo Communities in Lagos State on Saturday, March 4, 2023, officially endorsed the PDP’s Governorship Candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran.
Leaders of Ndigbo declared their support for Adediran at an event tagged “the Igbo Communities in Lagos Official Endorsement of Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, wherein Eze David Nwosu, the Eze NdIgbo, Ikorodu North, who spoke on behalf of the Council of Eze Ndigbo and the Igbo Communities in Lagos State at the endorsement in Oshodi-Isolo area, said the Igbos had declared support for Adediran.
Nwosu, who raised the hands of Adediran jointly with other Ezes in attendance, briefly said, "Ezes NdIgbo and Igbo communities in Lagos State endorse Jandor.”
With these conflicting endorsements, it is not clear where the Igbos will turn, but analysts are projecting that the outcome of their alignment will be evident when results from Amuwo-Odofin, Ojo, Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin, Ikeja, and Oshodi-Isolo come in after the March 11 polls.
