New York [RR] LAGOS—THE Lagos State government under the administration of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola has once again restated his resolve to give equal opportunities to the Igbo community to participate in the affairs of the state governance.

He has also re-assured his commitment to the safety and security of lives and property of indigenes and non-indigenes in the state.

He made this promise following a request by the Igbo political group in the Action Congress (AC) on the state government to increase the Igbo political slots in the cabinet both at the state and local government levels.

The governor made this known in his speech delivered during the inauguration ceremony of the Old Alimosho Chapter of the Igbo United Political Coalition, held at Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Ikotun, Lagos at the weekend.

Represented by the Hon. Jino Ajaye, the governor, who stated that Igbo leadership in the state has contributed in no measurable way to the socio-economic growth of Lagos state, noted that in a true democratic setting, ethnic or political belief should not be a barrier to the smooth running of any government.

According to him, no meaningful economic development would be achieved in the state where rancour, kidnapping, ethnic and tribal sentiments were the order of the day.

“Politics is for all of us. The democracy we are witnessing today, the transformational changes, the developmental stages in the state were made possible because we are in true democratic period. Lagos State has now grown to a mega state because your contribution has been added to it. We are not doing it alone, we are doing it in conjunction with all your efforts,” the governor said.

Meanwhile, the Igbo representation in the Lagos state cabinet has been commended by the state government. It would be recalled that the office of Budget and Planning has been occupied by Igbo born indigene since the Tinubu-Fashola administrations and has been described as one of the best, vibrant offices that has sparked off a lot of economic developments in the state.

While appealing to Lagosians to be law abiding and go about their businesses without fear or molestation, the governor assured that adequate security has been put in place to protect lives and property of the people.

In his address, the chairman, Igbo United Political Coalition Alimosho Local Government Area, Hon. Onuegbu Theophilus, who revealed that the group has already mapped out strategies to ensure that the Action Congress was voted back into office in the 2011 general elections, however, regretted that some members of the Igbo political coalition in Alimosho were denied registration in some LCDAs and wards during the 2007 general elections.

He said that some AC leaders in Alimosho saw the Igbo United Political Coalition as a rival group and threat to true democratic principles.

According to him, the influx of the group into the party was a magnanimous swell-up to the numerical strength of the party and an assurance of the South-East and South-South block vote for the Action Congress in the Lagos State.

He further decried the non representation of the Igbo Political Coalition since the inception of the present LCDA government in the six LCDAs in Alimosho.

“We have no Councillorship appointment, no Special Advisers appointment, no Senior Special Assistant appointment except in Igando-Ikotun LCDA,” Onuegbu said.

Adding, our fair share of dividends of democracy both at state and local government levels including hajj/Jerusalem pilgrimage slots, Board Membership appointments have not been duly accorded to us.

Hon. Theophilus, who condemned personal interest and tribal sentiments in the running of any government, urged the party leaders to be fair and patriotic in the discharge of the dividends of democracy. Saying, in a democratic dispensation, everybody has the right to vote and be voted for.

“The Igbo United Political Coalition was part of the Lagos State Action Congress which came up in 2006. It was a coalition of many groups, forums, caucuses and fronts that sprang up to pull support for the Action congress during the campaign period of 2007 general elections”, Onuegbu said.

“This coalition was structured with multiple tentacles that galvanized together non-Yoruba language speaking ethnic groups from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu Imo and Rivers States”.

In Alimosho L.G.A. which comprises six local Council Development areas-(LCDA), Igbos have over 48 percent of the population while other ethnic groups from South-South geo-political zone consist about 22.6 percent of Alimosho population, he concluded.

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