Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Thursday said the ongoing controversy trailing the decision of the government to send some Igbos back to their villages is political.

The governor said this after inspecting the ongoing light rail project and jetties at Mile 12 area of the state.

He added that the propaganda was meant to smear the reputation and credibility of Lagos and the ruling party in the state.

Fashola said, “It is unfortunate that my colleague governor has made this a media issue. As I speak, I haven’t received any telephone call or letter from him to complain. I don’t think that is the way government works. On less important matters, he had called me before.

“This is a political season and Anambra will be up for contest. And in a political season, unusual things happen. It is really important to say that our hospitality in Lagos State is legendary.

“There is a large Igbo community in the state. They are doing their businesses peacefully. There is too much at stake for anyone to begin to incite the Igbo community against their host state.

“There is too much at stake here. It is a very dangerous and unwarranted precedent. I hope that common sense will prevail here.”

Fashola added that the relationship between the Igbo and the government would not break because of the issue, saying the government and the residents had a strong bond.

The governor also said his administration was determined to complete the rail project, adding much that progress had been made on the tracking.

Fashola, who pointed out that five major transport solutions were being implemented simultaneously in the state, said the government-owned ferry services would be subsidised when it starts operations.

He said the state government had issued licences to 59 operators who had in turn acquired 109 ferries.

Meanwhile, an Igbo group, Aka Ikenga has condemned the ‘deportation’ of people regarded as beggars from Lagos to Onitsha, Anambra State.

President of the group, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, at a press conference on Thursday in Lagos, said the development was against Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution.

Uwazurike maintained that if necessary steps were not taken by Fashola, the newly-registered All Progressives Congress would be wrongly perceived in the East and Nigeria at large.

“We want the governor to be careful of some of his actions because I am sure this will not be the way he wants to reward over 90 per cent of the Igbo in Lagos that voted for him,” he said.

Uwazurike, who described the development as a criminal and inhuman act, lamented the method of operation of the Kick Against Indiscipline officers.

Read more: Nigerian Eye