Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF)
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Leaders of Arewa communities in Lagos State have urged the Federal Government to grant Lagos State special status, lamenting the state’s diverse infrastructure challenges since Federal Capital Territory, FCT, moved to Abuja.
Also, the leaders of Ndigbo in All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state have endorsed the APC candidate for the October 31 by-election in Lagos East, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, attesting to how he successfully transformed Polaris Bank from liability and profitability under four years.
The leaders of the ethnic nationalities made these remarks at separate meetings with the Lagos East Senatorial By-Election Campaign Council under the leadership of Chief Kaoli Olusanya in Ikorodu on Thursday.
In attendance at the Arewa meeting include: the Apex Leader, Arewa United Group, Alhaji Mamuda Ibrahim; State Secretary, Arewa United Group, Alhaji Musa Sali; State Women Leader, Arewa United Group, Hajia Halima Zakara and Director-General, Arewa United Group, Alhaji Adamu Mats, among others.
The Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos, Chief Uche Okpotemba; Apex Leader of Ndigbo in APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe; Deputy Coordinator of Ndigbo in Lagos, Chief Chris Akwilo, Lagos East Leader of Ndigbo, Mr. Kelvin Nwoha and Eze Ndigbo of Ikosi-Isheri, Eze Remi Anyamele also attended the meeting of Ndigbo in Lagos East.
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Arewa leader, Sali, said: “We have come to understanding that Lagos has been facing grave infrastructure deficit since federal capital has been moved to Abuja.
“As a result, Lagos has a huge burden to the state government due to the task of managing the state’s infrastructure deficit. We are demanding special status for Lagos to enable it address infrastructure deficit facing it.
“Without special grants, the state will not be able to address these challenges. We therefore ask the federal government to grant Lagos State special status like other former federal capitals across the world,” he said.
At the Ndigbo meeting, Okpotemba assured Abiru that all Ndigbo indigenes in Lagos East Senatorial District would be mobilised to vote the APC on October 31.
While Ndigbo in Lagos adopted Abiru as its candidate for the forthcoming senatorial bye-election, Okpotemba rechristened the APC candidate “Ifeanyichukwu Tokunbo Abiru,” commending his sterling achievements in banking sector.
After the meeting with Ndigbo, Abiru said if elected a senator representing Lagos East, he would focus on initiating bills and sponsoring motions that will guarantee protection of lives and properties nationwide.
