House member pledges support for new Igbo APC leadership in Lagos

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The House of Assembly Member representing  Oshodi/Isolo II constituency in the Lagos  State House of Assembly, Honourable  Jude Omobowale Idimogu has pledge his unreserved support to the new leadership of  NdI Igbo in the All Progressive Congress(APC), Lagos State.

The new Igbo leadership of the party led by Chief Anselem Njoku which came onboard last sunday when Igbo stakeholders in the APC Lagos State, royal fathers, market leaders, women and youths gathered at the Lagos State Igbo Community Centre on Nwachukwu Drive, Okota in Isolo Local Council Development Area(LCDA) and rectify  it.

Idimogu said there is need to support the new executive which translates to absolute loyalty to the party leadership in the state headed by Chief Tunde Balogun.

Lady & Hon Jude Idimogu at the event

The House member who recently got reappointed the House Committee Chairman  on Wealth Creation and Employment said he has aligned himself with the position of the party which is taken in the best interest of Ndigbo in Lagos.

He stated, “the replacement made today has been effected in compliance with the directive given by the APC Lagos State Chairman that royal fathers should desist from holding political positions, rather they should go back to their respective palaces and carry out whatever duty that may require thier attention.

“Regrettably, we discovered that one of the royal fathers, Eze Uche Dimgba of Ikeja has been parading himself as the Executive Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos State APC contrary to what the party’s directive is.

“We have therefore decided that if we allow this act of disobedience to party directive to linger on, it will not help us and it will affect the oneness of Ndigbo in Lagos APC.

“This is well in order. We need to give the new leadership headed by Chief Anslem Njoku our total support which is a total support and alligence to the state party leadership.

“Our Ezes can now concentrate on galvanizing support and direction to our people, while on our own part, we will do our best to make sure they are accommodated in the scheme of things.

“Am happy that all the Igbos have been well entrenched in the new arrangement. Our lovely brothers and sister from Anioma, all Igbos in Delta, Rivers States and beyond are well accommodated, that’s the Spirit,” Idimogu said.

Chief Anselem Njoku,

The new chairman Chief Anslem Njoku in his comment said he accepted the new assignment with open heart and determination to unite the Igbos in Lagos in order to properly integrate them into the party in the state.

Njoku said he was overwhelmed by the support he has received by Igbo political leaders in the state, the Ezes, women, youths and all APC members of Igbo extraction in the state and mostly the representatives of the state chairman of the party.

The Igbos in APC he said have by electing him resolved to embrace APC like never before and have accepted to shun any form of illegality, vowed to unite against forces that tend to bring their revered traditional institution to disrepute.

“Our people have said they  don’t  want anything that will rape their custom and tradition. That a traditional title holder cannot at the same time be the leader of a pressure group.

“The stakholders have on this note, endorsed me, and the Ezes have given me their blessing,  Am happy today we will move forward,  Igbos have refused to be dragged inot any form of illegality.
Thay have shunned people who want to trauncate our custom and tradition.

“As a matter of fact, Ezes are not supposed to get involved  in party politics, but they could play advisory roles where necessary. what they do is if there is any dispute, they call the factions and settle.

“There are some other leaders who are not here today who feel the Ezes should be the leader, but we are going to educate them on customs and tradition, which is also against the tradition of our host, the Yorubas.

Njoku stated the resolve of the new Igbo APC executive to revive ailing local government branches of the group in the state, expressed the optimism that he will soon be formally presented to the state party  executive.

“We are going to constitute a strong and viable state executive  that will encompass all the Igbo groups in APC, and we will make sure that all the LGAs are functional, after that, we will embark on mass mobilization of Ndigbo in APC because “ebe onye  bi ka o na-awachi” We are living in Lagos, we must contribute to make it great, “he said.

In the words of  Prince Anselem Udoka (Orobo-Aregbe), the Board of  Trustee(BoT) Chairman of Ndigbo in APC he posited that the wisest step has been taken to put in place the new executive; thereby  saperating traditional rulership  from active political perticipation.

Prince Anselem Udoka

He said The Igbos under the leadership of Engr. Joe Igbokwe and Hon Jude Idimogu are on the right part to greatness, stating that reconciliation of aggrieved members will be the priority of the BoT.

On Igbo presidency, he said if APC gives Igboman ticket, the person will no doubt have their support.

“We have unified the Igbos today, if APC should give Igbos the presidency ticket come 2023, the job and journey becomes so easy. but If the party brings  Southwest, we will support the person, so long as it doesn’t go back to the north, what we are talking about is total loyalty to the party, he said.

Speaking at the event, Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and leader of Igbo Community in Lagos thanked Ndigbo for the peaceful conduct of the Congress during which they elected their leaders. He advised them to remain law-abiding and identify with the government in power in the state.

Eze Nwachukwu

Nwachukwu stated, “We the royal fathers have endorsed them, we said no royal father shall henceforth be the coordinator or Chairman of a political group.

“We have sons and daughters in political groups, they should chair themselves. We are liaising with government to make provision for stipend to at least an Eze in every LGA.”

Eze Dr Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, Eze Ndigbo Alimosho said from the turn out of the day’s event, the people have spoken, and its the voice of the people that endures.

The real voice of the people according to the Eze stands forever. “Today is all about Ndigbo in APC. There are other political parties here in Lagos anyway. All the people here are APC, and Anselem is the choice of the people, case closed.”

Nation Update learnt that before now, Eze Uche Dimgba (Okpotemba), the Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, has been allegedly parading himself as the Executive Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos APC.The

The Sunday event climaxed with the presentation of Chief Anselem Njoku to the Igbo royal fathers in Lagos for their blessing and sebsequent presentation to the Igbo APC community of Lagos State.