Ohanaeze leader offers Tinubu a deal under which Igbos will vote for Sanwoolu in exchange for senate president Umahi

OHANAEZE Ndigbo Youth Council leader Okechukwu Isiguzoro has offered president-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu a deal under which Lagos Igbos would vote for Governor Babajide Sanwoolu  in this weekend's gubernatorial elections in exchange for the senate presidency.

With Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the southwest elected as president and Senator Kashim Shettima from the northeast elected as vice president, the race for the senate president is open to candidates from all of the other four geo-political zones. Ranking senators from the northwest, south-south, southeast and north central geo-political zones are already positioning themselves for the coveted position, three months before elections are due.

However, before that matter is addressed, this weekend's gubernatorial elections need to be resolved first and Lags is one state where the race looks tight. Incumbent Governor Sanwoolu of president-elect Tinubu's All Progressives Congress (APC), is facing a stiff challenge from Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.

During the presidential elections, the Labour Party's Peter Obi secured more votes in Lagos State than Asiwaju Tinubu, sparkling fears that the APC could lose the governorship polls. However, Mazi Isiguzoro assured Asiwaju Tinubu that Igbos would vote for Governor Sanwoolu in Lagos State so he could ensure the southeast produces the next senate president in the interest of equity, continuity, and fairness.

Mazi Isiguzoro said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo is telling Igbos in Lagos that what we need at this time is the senate presidency and we will give Asiwaju Sanwoolu so he will give us the president of the senate, based on mutual understanding, continuity, equity and fairness. Lagos is our second home, there is no family in Igboland that has no family in Lagos.

“Lagos has made us more prosperous than any part of the country and by so doing, Igbos in Lagos should vote with their conscience and should know that we will give some and take some. We have made our point during the presidential election and we should not fight those who have been good to us.

“They should allow Sanwoolu for them to give us Umahi as senate president. We must be ready to sacrifice other interests. We want to tell Asiwaju that we will vote for Sanwoolu so he can give the southeast the senate presidency. We are directing all Igbos residing in Lagos to go for Sanwoolu as the governor of Lagos State.”