•Urges Lagos, residents, to re-elect Governor based on performance, laudable achievements
Etim Ekpimah
Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has appealed to all Lagos State residents, especially the electorate to re-elect Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the forthcoming gubernatorial poll, saying the Governor has done so well and deserved to be re-elected.
Speaking during the Journalist Hangout Programme on Television Continental (TVC) on Sunday, Osoba, a renowned journalist and former Editor and Managing Director of Daily Times Newspaper, said Governor Sanwo-Olu has done so much in Lagos State and based on his performance he deserved to be voted for en masse on Saturday.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Gboyega Akosile, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Sanwo-Olu on Monday, 6 March 2023.
Osoba, who expressed his displeasure over the voting pattern against APC in Lagos State, especially at Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area during the last presidential elections, urged Lagos, residents, to redeem themselves by voting for a performing government, saying “Lagos has given so much to all of us, let us pay back by showing gratitude to a Governor (Sanwo-Olu) who I believe has done his best.”
The former Ogun State governor also appealed to Lagos residents, especially youths, Ndigbo in the State and religious leaders not to allow ethnicity and religion to be a dividing factor in the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State.
He said: “In Lagos, it hurts me and it gives me sleepless nights when educated people and others voted against APC in Ikoyi for example. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has done so well in Ikoyi. Ikoyi was totally run down; it was almost becoming a slum. And when Sanwo-Olu came in, he did so much renewal in Ikoyi. He has done a lot to fix Glover Road and McPherson Avenue with heavy drainage to address the flooding. He has also worked on Lateef Jakande, McDonald all the way down to Cooper Road, Alexander and Queen Drive.
“He (Governor Sanwo-Olu) has done so much renewal and yet some of us elites whose property value had gone almost 50 per cent voted blindly. I thought we would vote according to performance. Anywhere in the world, you assess a government and vote based on performance. I hope they will redeem their image. How can the Ikoyi voting pattern be against a government that performed?
“They voted against APC. What is their reason? Tunji Bello used to tell me about the efforts they always make to pump water every flooding period to save us from heavy flooding. So, it devises all reasonable logic the way people; educated people voted in Ikoyi for example, where I lived.”
Osoba, who governed Ogun State during the aborted Third Republic and was also elected as the first Ogun State governor in the present Fourth Republic, appealed to all Lagos residents, especially the youths to vote for Governor Sanwo-Olu and APC candidates in the March 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“Why should anybody be looking for a change in Lagos? I have spoken about the assessment and performance of Sanwo-Olu in Ikoyi where I live. This is not hearsay. The monorail that Jakande started was cancelled over 40 years ago, he has restored it with the blue line rail. I can go on and on giving you examples of his performance.
“I went to campaign in Agbado on Friday and when coming back, I google my way to my house and all throughout Agege and neighbouring areas between Ogun State and Lagos were all dualized. How do you say a man like that should not continue?
“I will urge our people, especially the youths not to make the same mistake that they made in Eti-Osa where they voted blindly out of frustration, which I appreciate. And the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, told them he will address their frustration.
“I appeal to my Igbo brothers and sisters, don’t let us make this an ethnic issue. Anywhere in the world where ethnicity has become an issue, it becomes destructive. I will plead that the youth, our religious people, and our Igbo brothers and sisters in Lagos should think of the past. Nnamdi Azikwe, the father figure of Igbo land, started all his political life in Lagos.
“The first Igbo lawyer, Sir Louis Mbanefo went to Methodist Boys High School and King’s College; he had his education in Lagos.
“We have been working together. Let us sustain the relationship. Lagos is the most liberal state in this country. Lagos has given so much to all of us, let us pay back by showing gratitude to a Governor who I believe has done his best,” Osoba appealed.