Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene president Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos state has described the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the last governorship election as a well deserved victory given his giant strides in the last for years of his administration.
At a recent event in Surulere area of the state to celebrate the governor’s victory organized by Chief Ogbonna, he described the governor as a dependable and reliable man of integrity who has shown Ndigbo love in his first tenure and needed to be supported to be able to return to office for the second term.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Chief Ogbonna said, “Well, it is a great day to all of us because Babajide Sanwo-Olu won the election. Today we all agree that we are to celebrate that victory of that past election that returned Sanwo-Olu, contrary to the expectations of people who thought he would not be victorious. So we are very happy that we emerged victorious. We are very happy for the relationship between us and Sanwo-Olu in his first tenure and that is why we came out and worked for him to come back again.
“We know how we worked, he may not know because he is not going round with us, we really know how we worked because Sanwo-Olu is the friend of Ndi Igbo. I have said it time and time, and I will continue to follow him. I particularly, if I had gone to my state to work, I might have made more benefit, but for the interest I have for Babajide Sanwo-Olu, I cannot hesitate, there is nothing that can attract me more than a man who showed me love in his first tenure, to come back for a second term as he did, and that is my joy today.
“The governor’s victory at the poll is a big joy to members of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo. There are so many Igbo groups, but the president under Solomon Aguene leadership voted for Sanwo Olu, because we see that he’s tested and confirmed governor, so nobody can change our mind.
“We are not looking at what he is giving to us, but we are looking to what he is doing to Ndi Igbo generally in Lagos State. We are not talking at individual benefits; we are talking about Ndi Igbo as a community in Lagos state. As a guest in Lagos state, and that is where we are looking into, and that is why we can be able to come back and celebrate him, after the election, he is not aware of this celebration. I took it upon myself to celebrate a man that showed me love to Igbo Community in Lagos state.”
On what the leadership of Ohanaeze is doing to ensure that there is peace between Ndi Igbo in Lagos state and the host community, he described Ndigbo as peaceful people but acknowledged that there are some bad eggs who are fomenting trouble as it is in every society.
“Well, it is a fact that we are guests, it’s only you know in a bottle of groundnut, if you bring 1000 seed, if you chew one bad one, you forget others that are good. In every tribe, you have the bad eggs, we have bad people that are causing trouble within us. I am very loyal to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whether he likes it or not. What Sanwo-Olu is giving me to give Ndi Igbo is not commensurate to the sacrifice that I am doing to convince my people to believe in him. You know politicians when they are looking for vote, they have different character, when they win, and you will see a different character. But Sanwo-Olu is not like that. Sanwo has convinced us that he is a man of integrity. I have been called different names, simply because I believe in Sanwo-Olu,” he said.
On his expectation from the new executive of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Lagos State, which he inaugurated at the event, he said, “Well, we have been in the office for about a year plus because the faction in Ohanaeze since I was elected in the first tenure in 2018, they took me to court and later came back and told me that they want to come together with me, and the court gave me consent judgment, and when we come in, the bad eggs inside said I should give him some amount of money, which I refused. I am still the authentic president of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Lagos State. I have court consent to lead for the next four years; if anyone wants to contest my position, he should appeal through court to dismount the court consent. Anybody who does not dance to the tune of the law is an enemy of Ndi Igbo, because when you have a judgment, nobody should challenge it, until the person goes to high court, nobody should temper with judgment of court.”
He explained that he was able to perform in his first tenure because he was determined to succeed. According to him, “the magic is that when you have determination, leadership is very simply, leadership is sacrifice. When you determine to sacrifice yourself to your people as a servant, there is no magic more than that, it’s a sacrifice you have to sacrifice yourself to your people to get it right and that is what I did. That is why I gave them the first secretariat, empowered widows, and youths, which never happened in our 21 years. A man that gave us certificate of inauguration is first elected president of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Lagos state, Chief John Uche, they are the ones who brought Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to Lagos State from Enugu.”
Speaking about the sit-at-home in the East, Aguene opined that the leadership in the southeast region should be changed and allow young people to come into leadership.