Dr Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural group in Lagos State, has voiced strong criticism over the reported marginalisation of Igbos resident in the state during the ongoing local government elections.
Speaking from his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday, Dr Aguene expressed deep concern over what he described as a consistent pattern of disenfranchisement and political exclusion faced by the Igbo community in Lagos.
He lamented that many Igbos were either denied the opportunity to vote or deliberately excluded from participating fully in the electoral process.
According to him, this form of political sidelining is not a new development but a recurring issue in every election cycle across the state.
He alleged that Igbo candidates are routinely denied the platform to contest for positions such as local government chairman and councillor, despite the community’s significant contributions to the economic and political life of Lagos.
“It is a known fact that Igbos residing in Lagos are often prevented from exercising their civic rights during elections. This is not peculiar to this particular exercise, it has become a trend. Even though we have contributed immensely to the growth of the state, both economically and socially, we are still not seen as worthy of holding strategic positions. At best, you might find one or two Igbos serving as vice chairmen in local councils but that is the exception, not the norm.”
Dr Aguene also stated that the prevailing political climate in Lagos, and by extension Nigeria, falls short of democratic ideals, noting that true democracy is rooted in fairness, inclusivity, and equal representation.
“What we have is not democracy, but a system where opportunists hijack power and suppress the will of the people. This, in turn, leads to widespread voter apathy because citizens no longer see the point in participating in a process that consistently fails them,” he added.
He called for a more inclusive political system that recognises and respects the rights of all ethnic groups, especially those who have made investments and contributions to the development of Lagos.
