…says
credible election is development panacea
The governorship candidate of the All
Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, has reiterated the
core reason for putting himself forward for the highest job in Lagos State – service
to humanity.
In his strategic and relentless
campaign across different areas of the state, the APC candidate used the whole
of the weekend to reassure supporters and stakeholders as well as woo undecided
voters that he is in the race to serve and lead by example.
In a press release signed by his
Director of Media and Communications, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, Ambode says Lagos has
witnessed a record of excellence service in the past 15 years and the more than
17 million people living and working in this Africa’s largest city-state
“deserves a tested hand who will continue in that tradition of excellence.
“The governor that Lagos State
deserves at this period of our continued growth and development is a man with a
track record of performance and excellence; a man who is tested, who understands
governance and is an experienced administrator who will not experiment with the
resources and growth template of this state. I, Akinwunmi, Ambode, is that
man,” he announced at different for a over the weekend.
His message of selfless service and
leadership by example, according to the release, was the focal point of his
eventful weekend. This was the message he delivered on Friday at the MUSON
Centre, Onikan where he was the Special Guest at the 3rd Annual
Lecture of the January 9 Collective (J9C), where he spoke to the topic of the
lecture, 2015 General Polls: Beyond the Rhetorics of Credible Elections, which
was delivered by Cambridge-based professor of Political Anthropology, Prof.
Anthony Kila.
According to Ambode, who is a
Fulbright Scholar, selfless service and leadership by example should be the
hallmark of an elected official who is desirous of making a meaningful change
and lasting impression in the lives of the electorates. “Selfless service
becomes non-negotiable if the process that brought elected leaders into office
is free, fair and credible. But often, we see leaders who derail and abandon
their promises to the electorates because the process that brought them to
office is flawed. They feel they do not owe the voters. This is why we in APC
have been very vocal about the need to have a credible election; to have a
process that is fair and transparent and to have an election that does not seek
to systematically disenfranchise electorates.”
He added that APC would not relent in
urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do everything in
its power to ensure that all the eligible six million registered voters in
Lagos State get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in order to exercise their
civic duties, failing which those with Temporary Voters Card should be allowed
to exercise their constitutional rights. “This is the only way to ensure that
INEC’s preparedness is beyond rhetorics so that the February elections can
produce leaders that the people want.”
On Saturday, the former Accountant
General of Lagos State further reiterated his readiness to serve and continue
with the record of excellence in the state when he met with the Zonal Chairman
of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Lagos
Zone, Comrade Tokunbo Korodo, the National Coordinator of the Civil Society
Club of Nigeria (CISOCON), Comrade Babatunde Ashafa, the chairman of the
Council of Arewa Chiefs, Alhaji Sani Kabiru and a group of senior citizens
representing top retired civil servants in Lagos State who met with him at
different times at his Gbagada campaign office.
It was the same message of selfless service
and equal opportunities for every resident of Lagos State that Ambode delivered
at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Surulere when he held a rally for thousands of
people with physical disabilities on Saturday afternoon.
“Our administration will not
discriminate. We will look after your welfare,” he assured the tumultuous crowd
who identified with his touching recognition of the special needs of people
with physical disabilities. “Irrespective of your tribe, creed, religion and
physical disability, the APC government will look after you and recognize your
rights,” he assured the people in company with his running mate, Dr. (Mrs)
Oluranti Adebule.
Ambode also proved to be a people’s
man when he rode in the BRT bus on Saturday evening from Ketu to Fadeyi, after
a visit to the popular Mile 12 market in mainland Lagos to preach the message
of a government of inclusion. The informal sector as well as the transport
sector, he emphasized , are an integral part of the development of Lagos State,
“and they deserve the government’s attention and unflinching support at every
given time.”
The APC candidate also reiterated his
plans for sports development when he spoke at a charity football march in Ikorodu
on Sunday afternoon, organized to drum up support for his gubernatorial
ambition. He used the occasion to explain his T.H.E.S.E plan which as part of
his campaign manifesto emphasizes the harnessing of Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment,
Sports and Excellence to get the teeming youths of Lagos State engaged in those
areas.
“Our vision is clear about the
direction that Lagos State should face after 15 years of solid foundation and
progress. And this is what our campaign is all about. We must consolidate and
build on the achievements of the past administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and
the incumbent actualiser, Babatunde Fashola, SAN. Lagos deserves excellence
through a combination of requisite experience and selfless service. Lagos does
not depend on sharing of oil revenue any longer.
“Lagos is creating an enabling environment
for businesses to thrive and for citizens and corporate sector to pay their
taxes. Sports, entertainment and tourism are goldmines waiting to be tapped and
taken to the next level in Lagos State. This is no time to experiment with the
future of our state and we are convinced that the majority of Lagosians
appreciate that fact,” Ambode stated.
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