Awori indigenes storm Tinubu's residence in protest.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
| credits: File

Some Awori indigenes have stormed the Lagos residence of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to protest what they described as the marginalisation of their people in the appointment of public officials.

The protesters said none of the Awori indigenes from their communities had been appointed into public office in the last 16 years despite their support for the Lagos State Government and Tinubu.

The group, on Sunday, urged Tinubu and the APC-led government in the state to address their 
complaint.

One of the leaders of the Awori, Chief Lateef Balogun, said, “I am the Ashipa of Agboyi. We have been supporting Asiwaju Tinubu since he was elected as the Lagos State governor on the platform 
of the defunct Alliance for Democracy. We have always done our best to ensure that his party wins elections in the state, but what we get in return is marginalisation.

“We are here today to complain over the marginalisation of our people in all levels of government. He created the 37 Local Council Development Areas for us in 2002, but the Awori were not given any position in the government. So, we are begging Tinubu to look into the matter.

“We want Awori indigenes to be elected as chairmen of the local council development areas, not outsiders.”

Another leader of the protesters, Chief Bola Onikoro, alleged that the Awori were being cheated, despite the fact they have qualified candidates.

He said, “We want peace. We, the Awori from Kosofe, Agboyi, Ojota and Isheri, want change. What we want now is that all the local government areas should be headed by our people. Our people are competent to provide quality leadership in any level of government.”

The youth leader for Ojota area of the state, Mr. Adebisi Balogun, said all the prominent positions in the LCDAs were given to non-indigenes.

A former Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Sunny Ajose, who met with the protesters, hailed their peaceful conduct and assured them that their grievances would be addressed.