PRESS STATEMENT
LAGOSIANS Calls for Removal of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner over alleged bias against Igbos in Lagos.
A group known as Leaders After God’s Own Spirit Initiating A New State, LAGOSIANS, have called for the immediate removal of INEC REC, Segun Agbaje, following reports of a statement he made during a live TV interview on Channels where he gave reasons why people in Okota, Oshodi Local Government Area, cannot get their PVCs and inferred that the Igbos in the area were immigrants.
A statement by the Convener of the group, Dr. Bolaji O Akinyemi which was titled: Conspiracy against Democracy: INEC REC; Segun Agbaje’s Outburst, Other Matters Arising, accused the INEC REC of being complicit in a plan to disenfranchise Igbos in Lagos.
“in a reckless political communication known only with thugs, he made it clear that the reason they cannot have their PVC is because many of them are from the South East part of the country, inferring that they are immigrants.”
The group also alleged that there is fear in Lagos about a possible repeat of the Inconclusive election as it happened in Osun 2018 governorship election while Agbaje was the INEC REC at the time before his redeployment to Lagos.
“One could possibly have overlooked his transfer to Lagos as an internal issue to which the commission has right to, but not after his uncharitable comment about Igbos in Lagos. On moral grounds, Segun Agbaje should by now be on his way out of INEC without a petition or protest. Agbaje is a stigma on the integrity of the Mahmood Yakubu led INEC. INEC Chairman can’t keep a tribal bigot and nepotistic personality in his system and keep the integrity of his organization,” the statement read.
The group while dismissing any planned protest against the fuel and cash scarcity which it said is being instigated by those who crushed the #ENDSars protest in Lagos using the army, however asked LAGOSIANS to rise against what it called injustice meted against the Igbos in Lagos.
The statement said: “The only protest acceptable for now is Segun Agbaje must go! Our only hope for a better and greater future is the grand national protest scheduled for the 25th of February 2023! Our placards being our PVCs, anything that will compromise the system to oversee a free and fair election must be gotten rid of.
Agbaje has done it before and by his comment on the Igbos, the signs are obvious of what he is capable of. If Igbo will votes in Lagos, and their votes will count like that of every other tribe, then Agbaje must not remain INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos state,” it added.
Dr. Akinyemi who is also the Convener of the Apostolic Round Table, while appreciating the endurance of Nigerians affected by the economic woes occasioned by scarcity of cash and fuel, also encouraged registered voters to ensure they collect their PVC in order to vote in the election, adding that any attempt to manipulate the polls should be met by the mother of all protests.
“Be prepared for pay back with figures beyond their manipulations and if in conspiracy with INEC, they serve the BVAS breakfast after the people’s victory as they did in Osun recently, then the mother of all protests can follow but till then, Segun Agbaje must go! We will cast our votes, ensure it is counted and our elected President announced, inaugurated and running the country!”