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Youths, under the aegis of Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths, have rejected the recent endorsement of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for Lagos State Governorship contest in 2027 by a group known as Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), saying there is no vacancy for non-indigene to occupy Alausa Government house.
The coalition made this declaration in a release signed by its President, Abdul Kareem Whyte, copy of which was made available to newsmen on Thursday.
It added that those promoting the ambition of a non-indigene ahead of the scheduled time should perish the thought based on too much marginalization that the indigenes had suffered, leading to underdevelopment in the state.
Tribune Online reports that CONYL, the umbrella body of all the youth groups drawn across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, had met in Owerri, the Imo State capital, and publicly issued the statement endorsing Seyi Tinubu as next governor of Lagos State.
The Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths, while admitting that Seyi Tinubu had his democratic rights as a Nigerian to aspire to any political office in the land, however, condemned the endorsement by CONYL, describing it as ill-fated, anti-democracy and a deliberate move to deny indigenes of Lagos State right to govern themselves in 2027.
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“Our attention has been drawn to the recent endorsement of Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor by a group known as Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL) and the group is described as the the umbrella body of all the youth groups drawn across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
“The said Coalition sat in Owerri, Imo State and publicly issued the statement on endorsement, while we know Mr Seyi Tinubu has his democratic rights as a Nigerian, we condemn the ill-fated endorsement and described it as anti-democracy and a deliberate move by some faceless individuals to deny indigenes of Lagos State right to govern themselves in 2027,” the indigenous Lagosian said.
“The indigenous Lagosian youths said it was no longer news that since 1999, no true blood indigenes of Lagos had taken over the mantle of leadership in the state (except one), pointing out that the marginalization on ground underscored the essence of democracy and, therefore, “an outright denial of the indigenes of Lagos State the right to govern themselves.”
“This was as the Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths, quickly noted that there would soon be vacancy in Osun State, saying that Mr .Seyi Tinubu can best exercise his democratic rights unhindered there.
“And if the people of Owerri in Imo are also interested in benefiting from the experience Mr. Seyi Tinubu has acquired in recent times, they can push him to succeed Governor Uzodinma.
“As for us, there is no vacancy for non indigenes in Lagos State in 2027. The marginalization is too much and the marginalization has led to the underdevelopment in the state.
“It’s unbelievable that since 1999, our hinterlands are not developed, no good roads, Lagos State living on debts and our traditional system distorted by successive governments,” the statement said.
Speaking further, the Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths said it was also aware of the moves by some non-indigenes to penetrate traditional rulers in the state in getting endorsements and ratifications from them, alleging that one of the aspirants recently suddenly traced his ancestry to Ojo Local Government after spending more than a decade in power without identifying with the Awori people of Ojo in Lagos State.
The coalition, therefore, enjoined the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Osuolale Akiolu, to beware of persons who would soon seek indigeneship of Lagos State because of 2027, even as it equally counseled the leadership of CONYL “to channel their energies towards advocating for good governance and policies that would benefit the youth constituency rather than instigating political crises in Lagos State.”
