Hype on ‘deportation’ political – Fashola
Lagos
State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Thursday said the ongoing
controversy trailing the decision of the government to send some people
back to their villages is political.
The governor said this after inspecting the ongoing light rail project and jetties at Mile 12 area of the state.
He added that the propaganda was meant to smear the reputation and credibility of Lagos and the ruling party in the state.
Fashola said, “It is unfortunate that my
colleague governor has made this a media issue. As I speak, I haven’t
received any telephone call or letter from him to complain. I don’t
think that is the way government works. On less important matters, he
had called me before.
“This is a political season and Anambra
will be up for contest. And in a political season, unusual things
happen. It is really important to say that our hospitality in Lagos
State is legendary.
“There is a large Igbo community in the
state. They are doing their businesses peacefully. There is too much at
stake for anyone to begin to incite the Igbo community against their
host state.
“There is too much at stake here. It is a very dangerous and unwarranted precedent. I hope that common sense will prevail here.”
Fashola added that the relationship
between the Igbo and the government would not break because of the
issue, saying the government and the residents had a strong bond.
The governor also said his
administration was determined to complete the rail project, adding much
that progress had been made on the tracking.
Fashola, who pointed out that five major
transport solutions were being implemented simultaneously in the state,
said the government-owned ferry services would be subsidised when it
starts operations.
He said the state government had issued licences to 59 operators who had in turn acquired 109 ferries.
Meanwhile, an Igbo group, Aka Ikenga has
condemned the ‘deportation’ of people regarded as beggars from Lagos to
Onitsha, Anambra State.
President of the group, Chief Goddy
Uwazurike, at a press conference on Thursday in Lagos, said the
development was against Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Nigeria
Constitution.
Uwazurike maintained that if necessary
steps were not taken by Fashola, the newly-registered All Progressives
Congress would be wrongly perceived in the East and Nigeria at large.
“We want the governor to be careful of
some of his actions because I am sure this will not be the way he wants
to reward over 90 per cent of the Igbo in Lagos that voted for him,” he
said.
Uwazurike, who described the development
as a criminal and inhuman act, lamented the method of operation of the
Kick Against Indiscipline officers.
CULLED FROM: PUNCH NEWSPAPERS
August 2, 2013 by Sesan Olufowobi and Sodiq Oyeleke
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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