A pan-Igbo group based in Lagos, Association for the Defence of Igbo Interests, has urged all Igbo across the state not to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP had said it was banking on the votes of the Igbo and non-indigenes in order to win the governorship election in Lagos State.

Similarly, the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, had on Tuesday, visited the Ladipo auto spare part market, Ladipo, where he described the All Progressives Congress-led state government as being anti-Igbo. Ladipo market has a large population of Igbo traders.

However, the Igbo group, led by its Coordinator, Prof. Chris Nwokobia; and its Secretary, Dr. Harris Chuma, said it would be wrong of the Igbo to be used as a tool by the PDP to take over Lagos.

Nwokobia recalled that the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has said voting for PDP in Lagos is against the wishes of the Yoruba and the gods.

Nwokobia, who addressed hundreds of Igbo people and journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, said the APC had not marginalised the Igbo in anyway.

He said, “It is better for the Ndigbo in Lagos to work with those they know than to plan a deal with total strangers. The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, has told all Lagosians that the PPD should not be voted for in Lagos.

“The Igbo in Lagos should listen to him as a mark of respect. The PDP has devastated Yoruba land since 1999 from Ogun to Oyo, from Ondo to Ekiti and to Osun. The PDP has devastated Nigeria in the past 16 years and made the country a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

“The Yoruba see the PDP as a virus. That is why they formed an alliance with the North to stop the PDP.

“If the Igbo make the mistake of investing in a dying horse by voting the PDP at a time other Nigerians are rejecting it for its 16 wasteful years in power, it will neither affect the electoral choice of Lagosians nor make any positive difference for Igbo.

“It will rather worsen their woes in Nigeria especially in Lagos where they coexist and compete favourably with other Nigerians. Igbo be warned!”

Nwokobia said the state government had done more for Igbos than some state governors in the South-East.

He said one of the most sensitive positions in Fashola’s cabinet was being held by an Igbo while there are over 500 Igbos in the state civil service.