Planned Indefinite Shutdown of Oyingbo, Declaration of War on South-easterners, LP Alleges

•Says APC threatened by party’s rising popularity

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

The Labour Party (LP) has described the proposed plan by the Lagos State Government to shut down the Oyingbo Market in Lagos as not only divisive, but also a declaration of war against the south-easterners as well as a threat to the country’s democracy.

The party also accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) of an attempt to ruin the businesses of south-easterners in the state because of their support and loyalty to the LP in Lagos. He described the act as intolerant, callous, insensitive, repressive, discriminatory and oppressive.

The party stated these in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, in Abuja, adding that the excuse given by the Lagos State government that the plans to shut down both Ladipo and Oyingbo markets in the state indefinitely from this Thursday due to traders’ indiscriminate waste disposal and none payment for waste disposal service was a ruse the government didn’t carefully think of before announcing it.

Abayomi said: “Our party wishes to categorically state here that the APC government in Lagos State is a very intolerant government and highly crude and being completely dictatorial and recklessly very undemocratic.

“Closing Ladipo and Oyingbo markets in Lagos indefinitely, two predominantly major centers of Igbo 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 state government be this evil against fellow Nigerians? It is the one that is hurt by another’s action that is challenged to defend himself and secure his own personal freedom anyhow, in any way he is capable.

“The constitution of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the freedom to live and work in any part of the country, also it is a constitutional duty binding on the Lagos government to guarantee all citizens under its rule the right to all the fundamental human rights.

“But again, revolutions, social insecurity and people’s rebellion are born by oppressive and wicked governance

“The public will easily recollect that the Igbos 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.”

Abayomi decried the new trend he said were targets at businesses of the supporters of LP, alleging it was, “an official policy and direct political victimisation by the government that stinks and highly condemnable.”