Peter Obi condemns Sanwo-Olu for targeting Igbo people’s buildings in Lagos
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has condemned Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for demolishing buildings most notably those belonging to Igbo people.
Before the 2023 general elections, the governor and All Progressives Congress had issues with the Igbo people who gave their supports to all the candidates of Obi’s Labour Party. Incumbent president Bola Tinubu, despite coming from and leading Lagos in the past, lost the centre of excellence to Peter Obi.
The Lagos State Government said that it had not demolished any building with approved plan. Peter Obi while sharing his opinion on the matter said that the timing of the demolition was wrong.
He asked the government to put its attention on poverty alleviation and how to implement policies that lift Nigerians out of poverty.
He wrote, “It’s with complete despondency and unhappiness that I have followed the ongoing demolitions of properties across the country, especially knowing the extra hardship such acts have been heaping on hapless citizens who are already battling with multi-dimensional poverty.
“What a responsive government should be doing under the current harsh economic conditions in the country is to come up with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and to carry out measures that will take more people out of poverty.
“Even if there are some violations as the governments are claiming, this critical time is not auspicious for such an exercise knowing the hardship in the land and the consequences it will have on the poor who are struggling to make ends meet with their little resources.
“The poor in our midst who are putting their meagre resources are going through very severe financial stress that should not be multiplied further. In some cases, the properties being demolished are the lifetime savings and retirement abodes of the aged and incapacitated.
“My appeal therefore is for the respective governments involved in this act to consider the hardship in the country and try and put a human face to their actions. While we should enforce sensible regulations, all actions of government must show compassion. -PO”
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