ObunikeThe South East Patriots (SEP) once again strongly condemns the unwarranted and provocative invasion and demolition carried out by the Lagos State Government at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Ojo — a federal facility that serves as the heartbeat of Igbo entrepreneurship and one of Nigeria’s largest commercial centres.
This latest act of aggression, executed under the guise of enforcement, is a direct assault on the economic survival of millions of legitimate traders — the majority of whom are of South East origin — and a blatant violation of the federal ownership structure of the complex.
Call to Action
In view of this dangerous development, SEP calls on all people of South East origin residing in Lagos State to immediately take advantage of the ongoing INEC registration exercise to obtain or update their voter cards.
No people can protect their economic interests without political power, and the voter card remains the ultimate weapon of defence.
SEP strongly cautions against the usual last-minute rush for registration that comes with chaos, market closures, and security risks on the eve of elections. Such unnecessary drama must be avoided. Every eligible South Easterner in Lagos must act now to ensure their names are on the voter register.
The South Easterners doing business in Lagos cannot afford to allow one man to have control over both Aso Rock and Alausa. That would be politically dangerous and economically suicidal for millions whose livelihoods depend on open markets, equal opportunity, and federal protection.
SEP’s Political-Economic Standpoint
The South East Patriots remain firmly convinced that Atiku Abubakar is the strategic political partner the South East needs to unlock its vast economic potential and protect national equity.
Atiku Abubakar’s deep understanding of Nigeria’s port economy—complemented by Peter Obi’s record of prudence, transparency, and administrative discipline—provides the leadership vision required to:
Open up the long-neglected Eastern Ports (Onne, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Warri);
Ensure the completion of the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri rail line, linking the South East directly to the North and improving inter-regional trade;
Dredge the River Niger up to Lokoja and Makurdi, to facilitate cheaper inland cargo transport and industrial expansion;
Decongest Lagos by decentralising maritime trade and promoting balanced regional development.
Successive South-West–aligned governments have consistently prioritised roads to Benin Republic and new Lagos port projects while leaving the Eastern maritime corridor dangerously insecure and economically dormant. This imbalance must be corrected.
The Nike Lake Commitment
The Nike Lake Agreement of 2018, endorsed by respected Igbo leaders under the coordination of the late Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, remains the most strategic political and economic understanding between the North and South East in Nigeria’s history.
SEP remains fully committed to preserving and actualising the spirit and substance of that agreement.
The South East is not a dot in any middle, but an integral and indispensable pillar of Nigeria’s federation—resilient in enterprise, unmatched in productivity, and unwavering in commitment to national unity and progress.
Signed:
Obunike C. Ohaegbu
Director General, South East Patriots (SEP)
