The crisis rocking Ndigbo in Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new dimension on Tuesday as the fold issued a 7-day ultimatum to a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Jude Idimogu to write a letter of apology to the group’s Apex leader, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, or face imminent sack from the group.
Idimogu has been engaged in a leadership tussle with Igbokwe for some time now, a development which has caused division in the Ndigbo in Lagos APC with the former at a time claiming that he had received the endorsement of the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, among others.
The group issued this ultimatum at a press conference addressed by its Executive Coordinator, Eze Uche Dimgba, at Oregun area of the state, even as it affirmed its strong support for Governor Sanwo-Olu for raising the bar for Ndigbo in Lagos.
This was just as the group also threw its support for the party chairman in the state, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, for giving it “the mandate to unite as one body.”
Dimgba, while affirming the group’s vote of confidence on the leadership of Igbokwe, urged Hon. Idimogu to stop parading himself forth as the Apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, declaring that he could not now come to destroy what took members and leaders of the group 21 years to build.
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“All Ndigbo in Lagos APC do hereby give Hon. Jude Idimogu seven days to write a letter of apology to Engr. Joe Igbokwe and come back and take his position was reserved for him or face imminent sack from the group.
“All Ndigbo in APC Lagos do hereby give a vote of confidence to Chief Engr Joe Igbokwe (Agbalanze Nnewi) as our Apex Leader, a trusted and trusted leader.
“We advise Hon. Jude Idimogu to stop parading himself forthwith as Apex Leader of Ndigbo in APC Lagos and stop trying to divide us. Jude cannot destroy what took us 21 years to build. We are all solidly behind Engr. Joe Igbokwe,” the group’s executive coordinator said.
Dimgba, while insisting that Idimogu should not in any way contest the leadership position with Igbokwe being very new in APC, called on Lagosians to “shine their eyes” and ignore what he termed the lies being peddled regarding the group’s leadership in the state.
“One would ask, what is even the Apex Leader they are talking about, is it a remunerated position or does it occupy an office?
“We decided to speak out because we discovered that our silence is no longer golden. The people have gone as far as trying to destroy the good image built by Engr. Joe Igbokwe by calling him names,” he stated.
“It is, therefore, uncharitable and unacceptable for anybody to rise up and be spreading lies against this honest man just to tarnish his hard-earned image and reputation. We cannot allow this,” he added.
Reacting to the development, Hon. Idimogu said he had no apology to offer anybody as he had not committed any offence, contending that he did mot conferred the Apex position on himself but by the Igbo leaders who saw him fit to occupy the post.
The lawmaker, who spoke with the Tribune Online on the telephone, said if any apology would have to be made at all, the group demanding it should summon those who conferred him with the honour and demand such from them.
This was just as he reiterated that he remained the highest-ranking political leader amongst the Igbo in Lagos APC, saying that whoever wanted to challenge him should equally submit himself for representative election in the state.
“Well, my reaction is that I have not committed any offence, and I owe nobody an apology. I owe nobody an apology. I have not committed any offence.
“If it is the issue of Apex Leader of APC in Lagos State, well, I did not give myself Apex Leader, my Igbo leaders chose me as Apex Leader, they issued me a certificate for the purpose, you understand. So, if they want an apology, they should go and summon the Igbo leaders to give them apology not me. I did not bring myself out, that’s the answer I have for them.
“But, politically I am a true son of Igbo extraction, and by the grace of God when you talk about leadership, politically I am the highest-ranking Igbo leader in Lagos State by the grace of God. And that one constitutionally gives me the right to be the Apex leader in Lagos State and I am challenging whoever is telling me that that he should go and contest the election, then the right would be given to him in Lagos State.
“But as of today, by the grace of God, God has given me the opportunity to be Apex leader and that’s what my Igbo brothers and sisters have bestowed on me and I have accepted it and I would continue to work for them by the grace of God. No apology to render, that’s just my submission,” Idimogu said.