Deportation: Ohanaeze youths gives Gov., Fashola three days to apologize

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Congress, a pan-Igbo youth organization has given Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola three days to apologize over the deportation of 72 people to Onitsha or risk public protests or rallies.

Reacting to the deportation saga, the youths described the action of the Lagos State Government as not only reckless and insulting to the Igbo, but a clear infraction on the rights of Nigerians regardless of where they may hail from. Secretary of the group, Nonso Ozoemena, in a statement said Fashola’s action was capable of breaching the peace in the country and if mismanaged could grind the nation to a halt.

Ozoemena described as insulting, the decision of the Fashola-led government to dump the deportees at Onitsha, as interrogation of the deportees revealed that many of them were not from the South-East, how much more from Anambra State, where they were dumped.

He said: “This apparent abuse of Nigeria’s constitution, that is done with so much impunity, clearly negates the rights and freedom of movement and right to live in any part of the country by the Nigerian citizenry. “We totally condemn this act and demand immediate apology from the Lagos governor, as his action, if reciprocated by the South-East governors, will clearly breed distrust and fan the embers of hatred amongst Nigerians.”

Ozoemena pointed out that it was disheartening that while Fashola was seeking election as governor in 2007 and re-election in 2011, he never deemed it right to carry out this policy, as he depended so much on the votes of Igbo and indeed, other tribes in Lagos to win his elections, but now feels it right to execute such dastardly policy since he will not need votes again.

This is even as the youths alleged that reports reaching them suggested that the governor was also planning to relocate Alaba, Idumota, Yaba, Trade Fair, Computer village and Ladipo markets, in a bid to further dislodge the Igbo, who were dominant, as regards ownership of the markets.

The youths said this would be firmly resisted, as this policy of both Fashola, backed with alleged influence of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, has clandestine motives.

The youths reminded the Lagos governor of the responsibility of government to the citizenry and asked him to take a cue from Akwa Ibom State, where both indigenes and non-indigenes were enjoying free education, regardless of states of origin or status.

They asked Fashola to immediately desist from the act and gave him three days to apologise for his action or face mass action through rallies and demonstrations to be organized by the youths in Lagos in the next couple of days.

Ohanaeze youths also called on South-East leaders to speak up, saying it was unfortunate that in the midst of this constitutional rape by Fashola, only Peter Obi, among all the governors in the South-East, have found it necessary to act and also speak out on this latest abuse of Ndigbo.

He noted that Ohanaeze youths had taken note of this and would take on the seeming cowardice and nonchalance of the Igbo leaders.

SOURCE: sun