An association of Lagos State Indigenes, Omo Eko Pataki Forum, has called on the two major political parties in the country, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure that Lagos indigenes are elected as their candidates in the forthcoming bye elections for the Lagos East Senatorial seat and Kosofe 11 State constituency election.
The bye elections will take place to replace late Senator Bayo Osinowo who represented Lagos East before his death on June 15, 2020 and Hon. Tunde Braimoh who represented Kosofe State Constituency 11 but died recently.
In a statement signed by a Trustee of Omo Eko Pataki Forum, former Minister of Communication and former GOC, 3rd Armoured Division, Jos, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd), he urged the two major political parties to work towards the emergence of Lagos indigenes as their candidates in the two forthcoming bye elections as a way of placating the indigenes who, he said, have been marginalised over the years.
His words: “In my continuous quest to ensure equity, justice and fair play in the matters concerning my fellow indigenous Lagosians, I am seizing this opportunity to appeal to the two major parties in my dear state to rectify the festering wrongs and heal the subsisting wounds by deliberately ensuring that their candidates for both the vacant House of Assembly position and the East Senatorial District position are indigenous people.
“The positions were once occupied by none native Lagosians. This is not fair. This is not just.
“Let us start to do things in proper, legitimate and constitutional way. Lagosians have suffered too much marginalisation upon their own soil. This historic opportunity can be used as the beginning of correcting the ills that still confront us all.
“I do not write as a partisan person. I am not a member of any political party. I have absolutely no leanings towards any political strand. My interest is about the development and the growth of my state. As a retired Major General and a former General Officer Commanding 3rd Mechanized Division, I am a stakeholder in the affairs of my state and I do stand firmly as an Elder Statesman who wishes the best for my state and my country.
” APC and the PDP should please ensure that their candidates for the two vacant positions are Lagos indigenes to mark a good beginning and correct the errors of the past.
“We the indigenes of Lagos have been observing how, for example, Mr Tunji Bello has been in government as commissioner under former Governor Tinubu as Commissioner, served under former Governor Raji Fashola (SAN) , Secretary to the State Government under former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and now presently as Commissioner under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we wonder whether there are no Lagos indigenes suitable for such positions being occupied by him.
“The marginalisation of Lagos indigenes in the political positions should stop and we want this to be corrected with the filling of these two vacant positions with Lagos indigenes”, Olanrewaju said.
