The
race for the 2015 governorship election continues to gather momentum
with aspirants, especially those in the All Progressives Congress, APC,
strategising ahead of next month’s primaries.
Many
of the aspirants are putting finishing touches to their plans to be
elected as the governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos. For Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode, former Accountant-General in Lagos, contesting under
the platform APC in next year’s governorship election to replace the
incumbent, Governor Babatunde Fashola is key to repositioning Lagos and
sustaining the gains already achieved.
In APC
alone, a sizable number of aspirants kicked off their campaigns in a
subtle way immediately after Governor Babatunde Fashola convincingly won
re-election in April 26, 2011. Such aspirants include the Speaker of
the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Commissioner for
Works & Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and former Commissioner
for Special Duties, Dr. Tola Kasali.
Other aspirants are the
Senate Minority Whip, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Vice-Chairman of Senate
Committee on Lands & Housing, Senator Gbenga Ashafa and former
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan among others. But only last
week, Ashafa, currently representing Lagos East senatorial district,
stepped down from the race, citing the need to serve his people more at
the National Assembly.
For Ambode, his ambition began after he
resigned his appointment as the Accountant General of Lagos, even when
he still had 12 years to go. With his endorsement early this year by the
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, the former Accountant General’s name
appears to be on the lips of many Lagosians as the likely successor to
Fashola.
As the race for the 2015 elections hots up, Ambode has
unveiled his vision to govern Lagos. He has since been marketing his
goals, potentials and vision to 5.436 million registered voters in the
state. He has been constructively engaging the APC leaders and delegates
across the state.
In spite of the challenges he said he had been
facing on the political field, Ambode recently told journalists that he
remained convincingly unrelenting, networking with the youths in the
metropolis and suburbs, reaching the elders across all the strata as
well as connecting the masses with his vision, which he said, would
definitely take the state to another level if given opportunity.
Ambode
said he had toured all the administrative divisions in Lagos from Epe
to Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu and Lagos Island, adding that he had reached
out to all Local Government Areas (LGAs) and local council development
areas (LCDAs), seeking their views and soliciting their support. From
all indications, Ambode might have warmed himself into the minds of the
elite and the masses alike after presenting them with his agenda for
Lagos and telling them why they should join forces with him.
Recently, he unveiled his vision for Lagos at a leadership lecture
series on Victoria Island, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, where he addressed
thousands of youths. The lecture was organised by For the Future Nigeria
(FTF), an affiliate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which
provided ample opportunity to x-ray what he described as the pro-poor
programme he had developed “to realise a Lagos of excellence.”
Ambode
explained how he had tailored his programmes sector by sector and
agenda by agenda to APC’s manifestoes. He said APC has developed an
all-inclusive action plan to give all Nigerians the tools to get out of
poverty and better their lives. He stated that the quest to take
governance to the next level is why he wants to contest.
He
stated that APC is an alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He acknowledged the good works the previous administrations had done in
the state since the tenure of Alhaji Lateef Jakande through the era of
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his successor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, all of
whom he said he had the opportunity to work with in his 27-year public
service career.
Ambode disproved his critics who said he lacked
requisite experience to govern a city state like Lagos. He said he had
worked with seven governors, who he said, had sufficiently equipped him
for the task of putting Lagos on a good pedestal for massive investments
and sustainable growth. He added that his experience under different
administrations had prepared him for the challenges ahead.
At a
meeting with the people of Badagry recently, Ambode said he had
envisioned an all-inclusive economy in Lagos, where public
transportation would run 24 hours; security of lives and properties
would always be guaranteed; environment cleaner and safer at all times;
economic activities sleepless; and where the younger generation could
pursue their aspirations with strength and vigour.
“I see a
prosperous Lagos; a Lagos that is easily accessible, open to foreigners
and Nigerians to pursue their potentials; a safe and clean environment; a
Lagos that allows every person to achieve their potential; a Lagos that
knows no gender, no race, no sex, no religion, no colouration; a Lagos
that has connectivity and mobility; a 24-7 Lagos, a Lagos where the
economy does not sleep at 8pm,” he said.
According to him, he had
been consulting with critical stakeholders, community leaders, party
chieftains, youth leaders and women leaders to harness their views on
how to take Lagos from where Tinubu and Fashola have stopped to where
everyone actually desires for the metropolis.
Ambode’s aspiration
has indeed gotten public approval, especially from the state’s top
political officers he had worked with in recent years. His record showed
that he served the Fashola administration for about five and half
years.
In a letter of commendation, which Fashola wrote him on 2
December, 2012, the governor saluted his courage. According to Fashola,
“I write on behalf of the government and people of Lagos State to
specially commend you for the high sense of dedication, selflessness,
loyalty and integrity, which you have brought to bear during your public
service career.”
Former Chairman of Conference 57, Abiodun
Faleke said Ambode’s aspiration “is a product of providence.” Faleke,
now representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of
Representatives, acknowledged that there “are many aspirants, but we all
decided to support Ambode voluntarily” citing his leadership qualities
and passion for the masses.
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