A gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has dismissed claims that the ongoing demolition of illegal structures in the state is targeted at any ethnic group, particularly the Igbo community.
Speaking during a meeting with Igbo leaders and members of Team Jandor from the South East at the Liberty House, Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, on Tuesday, Jandor urged the Igbo community in Lagos to remain calm, maintain peace, and continue to live harmoniously with their Yoruba hosts.
According to him, the demolition exercise is aimed at restoring order and urban sanity, not at persecuting any tribe.
“The ongoing demolitions are not directed at anyone. They are meant to clean up the state. For example, Ola of Lagos’s house was demolished because it was built under a high-tension cable — and he’s Yoruba. Imagine if he were Igbo; what would people have said?”
Jandor, who is also the Lead Visioner of the Lagos4Lagos movement, reminded the audience that Lagos has always been an inclusive state where everyone has equal opportunity.
“We sell land to everyone, regardless of their origin. The model of having people from other tribes in the state executive began with President Bola Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos.
“Today, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who recently joined the APC, has a Yoruba in his cabinet — a model copied from Asiwaju’s leadership style,” he said.
He praised the Igbo community for their immense contributions to the economic growth of Lagos, especially through the Alaba International Market in Ojo, his home local government.
“The Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Sam Egube, is an Igbo man. So, can anyone say the governor hates Igbos?” he asked rhetorically.
Jandor assured the community that he would engage further with stakeholders to take stock of the affected areas and create avenues for constructive dialogue.
Responding, the leader of the Igbo-speaking community in Lagos, Dr. Sunday Ude, said the group remains non-partisan and would never work against the leadership of the ruling party in the state.
He noted that the tension between the Igbo and Yoruba communities heightened after the 2023 elections and urged Jandor to convey the concerns of the Igbos to APC leaders, especially regarding the withdrawal of positions previously allocated to them in the state executive.
