Lagos State indigenes, under the aegis of the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, have accused the Senate of disregarding petitions opposing the confirmation of some ambassadorial nominees said to be representing the state.
The group, in a statement issued by its Media Office, said it had submitted several petitions to President Bola Tinubu and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to protest the nomination of Mr Femi Pedro and Mrs Lola Akande, whom it described as non-indigenes of Lagos State.
According to the Foundation, it was taken aback by reported comments credited to the Senate President suggesting that the confirmation process proceeded because no substantial objections were raised against the nominees.
Reacting to the claim, the group described the comment as “insincere,” insisting that its objections were formally and clearly communicated to the leadership of the Senate.
The statement reads: “We categorically rejected Pedro and Akande as nominees to represent Lagos State, stressing that Lagos has its indigenes who are constitutionally entitled to occupy such positions.
“Other states such as Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti have their indigenes representing them. Lagos should not be different.”
The Foundation further alleged that non-indigenes from other South-West states had “systematically excluded Lagos natives from political power and access to opportunities” within the state.
It also lamented what it described as a long-standing pattern of injustice since 1999, claiming that Lagos indigenes had been unable to “freely determine their political leadership,” including the choice of governorship candidates.
“This is tyranny at work. Our people are steadily losing their constitutional rights, while others who already have states of origin continue to dominate political entitlements in Lagos,” the statement added.
The group expressed disappointment that the Senate, which it described as a body meant to reflect Nigeria’s diversity, failed to address what it called an “unprecedented injustice” against Lagos indigenes.