The current transformational strides of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration across socio-economic sectors and the progressive governance handed Lagosians by successive governments in Lagos State in the last two decades will make it impossible for the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2023 elections in the state.
A former Commissioner for Public Transportation in Lagos State, Chief Lanre Razak, who disclosed this, said the electorate since the return to democratic rule in 1999 have voted only honest and selfless leaders who were committed to delivering good governance for the greater good of the majority.
In a statement, he said merit, track record of service and pedigree of politicians rather than stomach infrastructure and primordial sentiments such as ethnicity and religion had guided the voters in electing their leaders.
Razak was reacting to recent comments by the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde and PDP stalwart, Chief Olabode George that the APC should be ready for defeat in Lagos State come 2023.
Recall that Lagos State had enjoyed progressive governance in the past 21 years and been an albatross for the PDP even when the party controlled the federal government for 16 years before its defeat by the APC in 2015. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was governor between 1999 and 2007.
However, in his reaction, Chief Razak said such a dream by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, when he was president and even vowed that PDP would capture the six states in the South West zone from the progressives met his political Waterloo in Lagos State though the PDP ‘captured’ the remaining five states that made up the zone in 2003.
The APC chieftain who is also the Balogun of Epe noted that the sterling performance of Governor Sanwo-Olu across all sectors so far including key infrastructures like construction and rehabilitation of major roads and bridges, provision of educational and health facilities, human capital development, sanitizing the hitherto chaotic transport sector and ensuring a cleaner environment in less than a year in office will make the dream of the PDP leaders more herculean and a pipe dream.
“We the electorate in Lagos State are happy and fully appreciate the progressive governance instituted by the National Leader of the APC and the architect of modern Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was governor between 1999 and 2007 which has transformed the state to be the most economically and financially viable among the 36 states especially his financial wizardry.
“The truth is that only Lagos State that can survive financially and pay its bills without depending on the monthly allocation from the Federation Account. It can also boast of the best infrastructural development among its peers nationwide which is why the state has retained its magnetic pull to most Nigerians even after the relocation of the Federal Capital Territory to Abuja in August 1991.
“The coming of Governor Sanwo-Olu of the APC on board has further compounded the woes of the PDP which was overwhelmingly rejected by Lagosians during the 2019 general election with our great party winning all the national and state legislative seats in the state. The achievements of the current administration in less than one year into its four-year mandate which have impacted meaningfully on the people will make it almost impossible for the PDP to win even a councillorship seat in future elections”
Razak, who is also a member of the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC urged the people to support the state government through prompt payment of taxes and rates, obedience to traffic and sanitation laws, as well as reporting the activities of criminal elements to security agencies in order to maintain the current peace and security across the state.
According to him, the state government could only meets its statutory obligations to the citizens if they fulfill their part of the bargain by promptly discharging their civic duties which include the payment of taxes and other charges.
Meanwhile, Razak has canvassed total support of Lagosians to the Sanwo-Olu administration in its determination to contain the spread of corona virus in the state.
