Igbos Target Of Planned Closure Of Ladipo, Oyingbo Markets In Lagos–Labour Party

The Labour Party, LP, has condemned the Lagos State government’s announcement that two prime markets in the state will be shut down saying it’s a declaration of ethnic war.

In a strong worded statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Arabambi Abayomi, on Monday night, the party accused the Lagos State Government of targeting the Igbo, who are the major owners of shops in the two markets.

The statement titled, ‘THE PLANNED INDEFINITE SHUT – DOWN OF LADIPO AND OYINGBO HIGH DENSITY , IGBO DOMINATED BUSINESS DISTRICTS A DECLARATION OF DIVISIVE AND ETHNICITY WAR AGAINST SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIAN AIMED AND PROGRAMME TO STOP THE OCTOBER 1ST OBEDIENT MOVEMENT RALLY IN LAGOS,’ said the state government is playing politics with business.

Recall the Lagos State Government, had announced some days ago that it will be shutting down both Ladipo and Oyingbo markets in the state indefinitely by Thursday 22nd September 2022 due to claims of indiscriminate waste disposal by traders.

The State Government also accused traders of reckless waste dumping, non-payment for waste services, and general poor waste management.

But the Labour Party expressed shock at the development and frown at the excuse describing it as “deceptive”, accusing the government of being intolerant.

The party accused the All Progressives Congress-led government of being an “intolerant and highly crude government”, adding that “being completely dictatorial, Hitlerite and recklessly very undemocratic is what it is now being known” of the government.

It recalled that, “The Public will easily recollect that the Igbo, who in the main are loyal and are confessed supporters of LP in Lagos State were officially prevented through the use of thugs by the APC Government from taking part in the voters registration exercise a few months back.

“Considering the fact that these South East Nigerians are huge in population, owned land, properties and blue chip businesses in Lagos, they are in truth, responsible for a very huge and heavy percentage contributors to the IGR in Lagos.

“It is beyond any form of argument that the population of the South Easterners in Lagos is clearly a very substantial percentage of the total population of Lagos.”

The party argued that in a democracy, the Citizens are free to choose which party to support and vote for and should not be intimidated, harassed or in any way victimized by the Government.

It said the seven shows the APC official policy all across the country where it harasses and threatens and in some cases uses “the police to shoot confessed supporters of LP.”

While condemning what it called new trend of targeting the businesses of the supporters of “LP for annihilation as an official policy and direct political victimisation by the Government,” it added that this “stinks and is highly condemnable.”

According to the party, “the highly successful one million and more Obedient movements rally across the States of the Country has been openly proved by the APC to be a great source of great worry which frightens and make the APC jittery enough to grow warlike tendencies in the unfortunate Party.

“This is the reason that official Lagos has become totally criminally inclined and desperately threading the path of unreasonable politics increasing the level of disunity and insecurity in the Country.

“LP is firmly, strongly and totally poised to sustain all the factors that keep granting LP the grace and favour that makes it the preferred political party by the masses to invest their votes in 2023. This is in spite of and of course notwithstanding whatever level of crude politics the APC may begin to unleash.”

The party added that the people are very determined and are really ready to do all it takes to “get their country back from the rule of the the politically dead APC.”

While calling on the security agencies to act, the party added that it “entirely and absolutely condemns this act that points in the direction of babaric and dangerously primitive politics of the APC all over the Country.

“Closing Ladipo and Oyingbo markets in Lagos indefinitely , two predominantly major centers of Igbos businesses with a view to ruin their businesses because they are confessed and very unrepentant loyal supporters of LP in Lagos is intolerant, callous, insensitive, repressive, a direct discriminatory and oppressive act by the Lagos APC Government.

“Of course, Lagos is not unaware that her own Citizens also work and live in other States in the Country. Must Lagos Government be this given to evil against fellow Nigerians?

“The Constitution of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the freedom to live and work in any part of the country.

“It is a Constitutional duty binding on the Lagos Government to guarantee all Citizens the fundamental human rights. But again, revolutions, social insecurity and people’s rebellion are born by oppressive and wicked Governance,” the party warned.