Lagos — A new dimension was weekend added to the politics of Lagos State when an Action Alliance (AA) stalwart, Chief Osita Machie maintained that the state is ripe to have an Igbo deputy governor.

Chief Machie who spoke at the inauguration of Surulere chapter of AA on Saturday maintained that for equity and fairness, Ndigbo should be allowed to produce the number two citizen of the state without any controversy.

The AA chieftain told a crowd of party members and supporters that Igbo hold the key of commerce and industry in the state.

He also said the ethnic group commands the second largest population of the state after the Yoruba.

The party chieftain wondered why the Igbo should be marginalised in the state by past and present administrations in the state and local governments when "everything in the state was achieved through the Igbo sweat."

Chief Machie stated that pressure would be mounted on whoever becomes the gubernatorial candidate of AA to pick an Igbo running mate as a first step to actualising the dream of having Ndigbo to occupy their rightful position at Alausa come 2007.

In his speech, chairman of the AA Surulere chapter, Chief Collins Obi reiterated the efforts of supporters to ensure that the party is on ground in the area as a strong political group in the country.

He urged members not to relent in their courage to ensure that the party, which he said is masses-oriented, becomes a household name in the state.

Chief Obi stressed that as a non-ethnic party, the AA has its membership drawn from all the geopolitcal zones while hoping that such a broad-based policy would help to ensure that the party would form the government in Surulere, Lagos and at the federal level.