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Tag: Babajide Sanwo-Olu

  • Lagos 2019: Sanwo-Olu visits Jakande, secures his blessings

    The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has blessed the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, praying for his success in the general elections.

    During a private visit to Jakande’s house in Ilupeju on Monday, Sanwo-Olu received the blessing of the 89-year-old former governor to contest for the Lagos top seat.

    Describing the octogenarian as his father and political mentor, Sanwo-Olu said the visit was to seek the blessing of Jakande and intimate him of the strides taken so far in his efforts to govern the state.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu’s royal acceptance

    Sanwo-Olu said: “As the first executive governor of Lagos, Baba Jakande is well-respected and he is someone all of us look up to for political direction. He is an arrowhead of progressive politics and constitutional democracy. Coming to greet him in this festive period is appropriate. But, I am also using the opportunity of this visit to draw on his experience and seek his blessing, as a leader, in my intention to govern our dear state.”

    Jakande informed Sanwo-Olu that he had read his professional profile and achievements, which, the former governor said, stood the APC candidate out as the best person to lead the state.

    Jakande blessed Sanwo-Olu’s candidacy and prayed for his success in the election. He also advised the APC candidate not to let the people down if elected, saying welfare of the people must be the priority of his government.

     

  • Arewa Community in Lagos to hold mega rally for Sanwo-Olu

    THE Arewa Community in Lagos State has promised to hold a mega rally for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the coming 2019 governorship election in Lagos State.

    The group stated that the action was part of the efforts to ensure victory for Sanwo-Olu as next governor of Lagos State.

    The declaration was made by the leader of the Arewa Community Support Group for Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (BOS), Alhaji Muhammed Alhassan who, with some members of the group, presented a communique containing other relevant support plans to the candidate in his Lagos office yesterday.

    Alhassan said Sanwo-Olu had won the hearts and minds of the Arewa Community in Lagos State by his initial gesture of paying a visit to the Arewa Council of Chiefs.

    He also noted that the candidate had shown a commendable sense of responsibility and appreciation, which had endeared him to their chiefs and the entire Arewa Community in Lagos State.

    “You have demonstrated an exceptional sense of responsibility and appreciation with your initial visit to our Council of Chiefs in this state, who are our respectable leaders with tremendous influence on our conduct and well-being in Lagos State.

    “From that very kind gesture and other positive things we have heard about you, we have come here to say thank you, to present a communique with support activities and officially declare that the Arewa Community in this state will be giving you all the support to win the coming election and be declared the next governor of Lagos, In Shaa Allah.

    “It will also interest you to know that we are holding a mega rally for you in Tafawa Balewa Square in January 2019, where we will attract more voters for you and sensitise over one million people from the Arewa Community with Permanent Voter Cards  (PVCs) to campaign vigorously for your victory”, he said.

    Sanwo-Olu, while appreciating the group, said the Arewa Community in Lagos State was an important component in the socio-economic development of the state.

    He added that he would, if elected, address all the yearnings of the community and ensure that all the various leaders of the group are part of the deliberations regarding education support for and improvement of their children who are living in Lagos State.

    “We thank you so much. Lagos is a home for you all. We appreciate your contributions to the socio-economic growth of this state. We’ve heard your concerns and demands. We promise that we will address all the issues, including educational support for your children here in Lagos when we are elected. Let me say it again that ours is going to be a government of inclusiveness where we are going to work together to achieve greater results”, he said.

  • 2019: US group stages rally for Sanwo-Olu

    To mobilize, sensitize voters

    Urges voters to vote massively for Sanwo-Olu

    Hundreds of supporters of All Progressives Congress, APC, under the platform of Pathfinders Group USA staged a rally on Wednesday to mobilize voters living in Ifako, Ijaye and Ojokoro areas to vote for the governorship candidate of the party in Lagos, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other candidates of the party in the 2019 general election.

    The rally which kicked off from Excellence Hotel in Ogba took the massive crowd through Ifako-Ijaye APC party secretariat and ended at the party Secretariat in Ojokoro.

    The crowd made up of youths, men, women both young and old wearing branded white T-shirts with embossed photographs of Samwo-Olu and his deputy Obafemi Hamzat and APC flag and logo sang solidarity and songs on mounted speakers on vehicles praising Sanwo-Olu and APC.

    Speaking with the press, President of the Pathfinders Group USA, Alhaji Hakeem Yusuf said, “as a group we are all over Lagos with our campaign activities with banners, posters and what have you.

    Read Also: Lagos Ndigbo confers title on Sanwo-Olu

    “We believe that this rally will be an advantage to mobilize more people and create awareness for Sanwo-Olu, we believe in him, we believe in APC, we believe in Lagos, we believe in Nigeria, it is a party of change that is going to give us the dividends of democracy.

    He expressed confidence that Sanwo-Olu would win “Definately with a wide margin and by mass vote because the people believe in APC, and if you see all the development we have been experiencing here, Sanwo-Olu is continuity in Lagos state, you will understand that there are so many rapid development across the state”, Yusuf said.

    Another member of the group from the US who said Sanwo-Olu is his cousin, Mr. Akin Allen said Ifako-Ijaye and Ojokoro areas “have a large contigent of members of the APC and we want them to come out enmass to vote for Sanwo-Olu, they are already excited, but we know we need more people to come out.

    “There are many registered voters but those who come out on the polling day are usually less, this exercise is to help galvanize and make the excitement for this candidate to really boil over and this would be seen in the result of the election”.

    Talking about what makes Sanwo-Olu the preferred candidate, Allen said, “Sanwi-Olu is a good, God fearing and humble person, he is educated and had been in previous administration, he has a wealth of experience under his belt and he is a cousin of mine”, Allen said.

    Speaking on the impact of the rally, he said, “this event is organised by people in the US, it is to mobilise voters here, our presence will influence our family members here and our neighbourhood; if we did not come out the energy will be at a low level, what we are doing is going to bring voters out.

    “APC has always delivered in Lagos state and if we continue to vote for APC you will see bigger and better things in future, in fact my cousin, Sanwo-Olu will take this state to the next level,” Allen assured.

  • Residents surf free internet as Sanwo-Olu connects Lagos

    Some residents in Lagos state are having swell time as they surf the internet for free, via the public WiFi deployed at selected areas by Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2019 elections.
    It was gathered that the Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organisation (BOSCO) deployed this service to further empower Lagos residents to pursue their varied interests.
    The importance of data for work and liesure cannot be over-emphasised, and this decision to provide free WiFi by the APC gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State will assist the people of Lagos State live their full potentials.
    This service is already up in some locations and is expected to expand its coverage to more areas of the state.
    Some of the locations the service is up include Ikeja (by Ikeja City Mall), Iyana Ipaja (By Araromi Bus stop), Mushin, By Challenge Bus Stop, Festac Town by 402 Road, Surulere by Leisure Mall in Adeniran Ogunsanya.
    Femi Olalekan, a student of the Yaba College of Education, was all praises for the governorship candidate for his thoughtfulness and magnanimity. He said that Mr Sanwo-Olu has shown that his tenure as the governor of the state, if elected, would be exciting and full of pleasant surprises.
    “By this singular gesture, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given Lagosians a sneak preview of what his tenure as the governor of Lagos State would be, if elected. It would a be filled with pleasant surprises for us in the state. We praise God and thank him for this gift,” he said.
    Like Femi, Chioma Onwuka, a student of the University of Lagos, also got same alert from her phone and she connected to the free data offering by Mr Sanwo-Olu.

    “I quickly turned on my iPad for the required updated, an action I have been trying to complete for days but the system kept telling me I needed a WiFi connection. You could imagine the smile on my face as I received the recent iPad updates. I can’t show the depth of my gratitude to Mr Sanwo-Olu for this,” she concluded.”

  • Lagos 2019: Sanwo-Olu’s widening support base

    Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State for the 2019 general elections, has continued to receive more endorsements for his aspiration as traditional leaders and groups within the state again announced their readiness to work for his victory. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports.

    The aspiration of Babajide Sanwoolu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state for the 2019 general elections, is daily receiving more boost and creating excitement across the southwestern state. Though he has continually been tipped as the man to beat in the governorship race, the APC candidate is not resting on his oars as he moves round the nooks and crannies of the state canvassing for votes.

    His ongoing consultation visits to prominent individuals and groups in the state are attestation to the seriousness with which the former Commissioner is taking the 2019 gubernatorial contest. And expectedly, the backing he enjoys from the people and the institutions in the state is daily swelling. According to sources from his camp, “more and more Lagosians are daily seeing more reasons why Sanwoolu is the man we need to take Lagos to a greater height from 2019.”

    His recent courtesy visit to the palaces of the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos State, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado, like many of such events turned out yet another harvest of endorsements. The Sarkin, who is the leader of the Fulani people in the state, assured the APC hopeful of the readiness of his people to support anything that will bring further growth and development to the state.

    Alhaji Bambado told Sanwo-Olu to remember the Arewa community if God assists him to become governor next year. The Fulani monarch welcome the governorship contender and his supporters to his palace in Surulere and offered royal blessings towards the next February general elections. Sanwoolu was accompanied to the traditional ruler’s residence by notable members of his campaign team.

    According to Bambado, many a times, various candidates visited the palace with a lot of promises but at the end, the Arewa Community was forgotten after they have been able to achieve their aims. However, the monarch believes that, “with Babajide Sanwo-Olu and people around him, the Arewa Community will see changes and to achieve that, the Arewa Community should be part of the government, not minding being minority, but we are an important stakeholders and we contribute to the economic development of Lagos State.”

    In his remark Hon. Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended the able leadership of Alhaji Mohammed Bambado the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos for the peaceful atmosphere in his domain and the firm control of his subjects. The APC governorship candidate expressed his delight over his ‘small home coming’ having spent over 35 years growing up in Surulere, stressing that, as a candidate, he has come as a subject to express his regard, honour, pay homage and visitation to important stake holders in the state.

    “And I realize the Fulani/Arewa community in Lagos is important stake holders, and to acknowledge the rulership of Your Highness and your followers that cannot be put aside. We have come to the palace to show ourselves while going out to tell people what we want to do for them as soon as the Governorship Campaign kicks off next week and to also assure you on peaceful co-existence as Nigerians we can do business without fear or favour,” Sanwo-Olu explained.

    In a related development, members of the Crystal Alliance Strategic Committee, announced their endorsement of the APC candidate as the best man for the job of governing Lagos state in the next four years. The group made the announcement in Magodo, Lagos while briefing newsmen on the outcome of their week-long study into the needs and expectations of Lagosians ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Speaking on behalf of other members of the committee who were present at the briefing, the chairman, Philip Edebe, urged Lagosians to vote for Sanwo-Olu in the general election next year, because according to him, findings by the strategic committee after diligently examining the state of things in the state today and the enormous work needed to keep Lagos on the track to greater heights, revealed that a man like Jide Sanwoolu is required in the saddle.

    “Sanwo-olu has rich pedigree, intimidating credentials. We have sat down and decided on Sanwo-Olu. We have given him our support for the next election because he has the best potential to take Lagos to higher levels. And that is why we are boldly coming public to tell Lagosians that for us to keep Lagos working and working well, we must all join our hands together and put Sanwoolu in Government House.

    “Members of the committee looked at things dispassionately, deliberately and without sentiments before we took decisions. We considered a wide gamut of sectors and issue. We delved into education, health, infrastructure, welfare, social and political expectations, party needs and public interests, youth empowerment, women and child mortality, population and job needs; all these and more were considered as we analyzed Lagos and its urgent needs.

    “Today, we believe in Sanwo-Olu and we encourage the good people of Lagos state to vote for him  because our findings after diligently examining the state of things in the state today and the enormous work needed to keep Lagos on the track to greater heights, revealed that a man like Jide Sanwoolu is required in the saddle. We are not the only group saying this same thing, many other study groups have said the same thing. So, our recommendation is based on the current realities in the state,” he said.

    The chairman, while urging chieftains and members of the ruling party in the state to close ranks and work hard for the victory of the party’s candidate in the governorship election, appreciated the support and encouragement of the leader of the Crystal Alliance Group of the APC in Lagos state, Chief (Mrs.) Remi Adiukwu, for the committee while it was at its assignment which lasted weeks. “No doubt, Chief Remi Adiukwu means well for Lagos state and she means well for her party, the APC,” he added.

  • Evangelism entertainment has been neglected – Nollywood Actor

    Sanwo-Olu receives award

    Veteran Nollywood actor, Commander C.O.C Nze believes that evangelism entertainment has been neglected as the focus is now on secular music and entertainment

    Nze, made this known at the African Christian Movies and Music Award (ACMA) ceremony that took place at the Alpha and Omega Hall, Lekki Lagos on Sunday.

    Lagos State commissioner of information and strategies Hon. Kehinde Bamgbetan, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Abimbola Fashola at the ceremony bagged an excellence awards in service to humanity.

    Dr. D.K Olukoya, the general overseer of Mountain Of fire Ministry was also awarded for the integrity preacher of the year and also an received the award for the supporting Ministry of the year.

    Nze, who doubles as the President of Catholic Artist revealed that he faced a lot of challenges, especially financial, in organizing the award ceremony, the first edition, but he remained resolute in achieving the feat

    Read Also: How I got a big scar on my hand –NOLLYWOOD DIVA UCHE JOMBO

    Speaking in an interview, Nze said “The main purpose of this organization is to evangelize through entertainment “he stated

    ”Over the years, there have been various awards in the secular entertainment industries but no one has remembered those in the evangelism entertainment”.

    African Christian Movies and Music Award (ACMA)

     

    “This is the first edition of this event. I have been acting for 25 years now I decided to start this. I have lots of challenges while I was trying to make this happen, especially financial challenges, as there was no support from cooperate body. It is sad that most organization do not encourage gospel entertainment”.

    Tony Akposheri, popularly known as Zakky an actor, director also noted that “The major challenge of the entertainment industry now is funding. There is also the problem of also lack of support from the government. It should however be noted that the entertainment industry has helped in reducing unemployment inthe country, but the government is failing in recognizing and appreciating that fact

    Speaking on Piracy, Akposheri said “Piracy is everywhere. You cannot erase it. In advanced countries they have issues with piracy only the government and police can help in controlling it. “

  • Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat: A winning combination for Lagos

    On November 4, 2018, Babajide Sanwo-Olu officially announced Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, and earlier contender for the All Progressives Congress Lagos ticket, as his running mate for the 2019 Lagos Gubernatorial Elections. The announcement birthed a strategic dream team equipped to usher Lagos into a new dispensation worthy of its title as the Centre of Excellence.

    A competent, visionary and skilled pilot is the first order requirement for a successful journey but the importance of a co-pilot that has keyed into the vision and is equally competent is the second order requirement for an even more successful and comfortable journey. This is what the dream team promises for Lagos after winning the elections in 2019.

    In stepping down for Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat demonstrated his confidence in Sanwo-Olu’s ability to lead Lagos to the next level as well as showed himself as a worthy team player. A co-pilot has to believe totally in the pilot’s capability in steering the vessel right and Dr. Femi Obafemi Hamzat proved that belief when he decided to hoist his flag on the Sanwo-Olu ship.

    In his statement while stepping down, he said;

    “Having been part and parcel of the formulation and execution of various policies and programmes that transformed Lagos right from former governors Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola’s administrations, I strongly believe that Sanwo-Olu is equally rooted to fly our party’s flag in the 2019 elections.

    There is beauty in a concerted effort put forth by the right pair. This is why a synchronised swimming duet is always an absolute delight to watch. This beauty is brought to the fore in the combination of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; The Lagos 2019 Dream Team.

    Lagos is at a very important place in its history. 19 years of consistent leadership has allowed the implementation of a coordinated growth and development plan that beyond states, only a few countries can boast of. The next level of the plan involves a strategic combination of science, technology and a keen understanding of governance to reach set out goals of prosperity and development for Lagos.

    53 years old, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has fulfilled the first order requirement and has emerged as the chosen pilot by winning the APC’s Lagos Gubernatorial primary elections. He spent 16 years in the public sector and 11 in the private sector. Educated at University of Lagos, Lagos Business School, Kennedy School of Government, London Business School, his educational qualifications, public and private sector achievements make him an extremely qualified candidate. He was a three-time commissioner in the state (Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions) and had done a lot of work on improving the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He had led the publication of the Lagos State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (LASEEDS) and had set up the Lagos State Security Trust Fund. His achievements and pedigree will be key in leading Lagos to the new level ahead.

    Let us now take a look at the other half of the dream team.

    Who is Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat?

    Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is a 54 years old, three time commissioner in Lagos State.

    At 28 years, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat earned a Ph.D. in System Process Engineering from Cranfield University, England and was the first student in the department to complete his doctorate within three years. For his first and second degrees he attended the University of Ibadan, where he graduated with a B.Sc. (Second Class Upper) in Agricultural Engineering in 1986 and a M.Sc. in Crop Processing Engineering in 1988. His quest for more knowledge also led him to the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Programme and Columbia University.

    His distinguished private sector career saw him serve in three of the world’s largest banks  Citibank, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley Inc., as System Design Lead, Design, Implementation and Alignment of I.T Strategy with Business Direction, and as Consultant on System and Infrastructural Upgrade. In Nigeria, he served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Group Head, IT & Strategy at Oando Plc, managing the company’s key information assets.

    Having distinguished himself in the private sector, he was excited about the plan for a new Lagos and began work immediately when appointed as the Commissioner for Science and Technology during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2005 and retained the position when Governor Babatunde Fashola assumed office in 2007.

    Great strides in the above ministries led to an appointment to a bigger portfolio at the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure between 2011 and 2015. The Ministry, which had no Commissioner in the first term of the administration, had been supervised directly by the governor with help from a special adviser, but Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat’s success and the urgent need for increased focus on statewide infrastructural development had birthed this position.

    From Electronic Document Management Systems to e-health initiatives to upgrades and management of the State Network Infrastructure to ICT laboratories and Forensic laboratories that provide better evidence in the adjudication of criminal cases and unsolved murder cases to the Lagos State residents registration agency framework, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat set out and completed rapid science and technology reforms across different sectors.

    What is his role as Deputy Governor?

    Constitutionally, the Lagos State Deputy Governor is directly responsible for supervising the Office of Civic Engagement and the Ministry of Education, two very critical areas where Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat’s vast experience can transform for the future of Lagos.

    Apart from also deputizing for the governor on all state matters, he is Chairman, Lagos State Boundary Committee, handling all boundary disputes and development of border regions; Vice Chairman of the State Executive Council; Vice Chairman of the State Security Council and directly coordinates the Local Government Chieftaincy Committees as well as any other ministries assigned to him by the governor.

    It is safe to say Dr. Obafemi Hamzat’s vast experience will come out to play and be extremely useful in the handling of his duties and any other duties given to him by the governor.

    Selecting Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is the best possible choice Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the All Progressives Congress in Lagos could have made not just for the party but also for the people of Lagos State.

    It isn’t common to have a governor and his deputy so in sync because more often than not, the deputy position is usually given out as a form of tokenism to placate one faction or one arm of the party. This is not the case in this situation as Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Kadiri Olufemi Hamzat have been friends and colleagues for over a dozen years so there’s a mutual respect and understanding of the work that is needed to move Lagos to the next level. Dr. Hamzat will be a busy Deputy Governor who will compliment his friend the Governor. He will not be a spare tyre. For both Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, governance in Lagos will get two for the price of one.

    Never before in the history of governance in Nigeria has a team as experienced in the highest levels of private and public sectors as Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat ever come together dropping personal glory and leaving their individual dreams to join hands in focusing on taking a state to a new level. Their combined cerebral prowess is not in doubt. This combination is definitely the Dream Team for Lagos in 2019.

    And that people, is a fact you can take to the bank.

  • Babajide Sanwo-Olu: My encounter with the biggest change Lagos has ever seen

    BEFORE Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for 19 years, the status quo had remained the same in Lagos. Win a first term, do some pretty transformative work and win an easy second term, but for the first time we heard a new name and beheld posters of a new candidate cropping up around Lagos.  Is this a case of the Party of Change changing someone that wasn’t delivering on his promises?

    Is this the new anointed one? Who is he? Why should we look at him? Will he be forced on us? I had my opinions. I mean, if you were in Lagos and you had not been living under a rock over the last one month, you’d probably have your own opinions too. The entire drama had played out in front of us all. The crux of it was when his opponent in the party primary election, the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode had called a press conference to cast aspersions on his mental state and accuse him of past criminal misdeeds.

    That had piqued my interest. This was worth looking into. If the man that wanted to be my next governor had a case of spending fake currency then I needed to know about it. I didn’t take those alleged accusations lightly. I think a lot of people did not take them lightly. They came from the lips of the governor but at the same time I have never believed an incumbent deserved a second term just because he is an incumbent. If you are doing a good job and the people you are serving can feel the impact, then yes, maybe a second term is in the offing but if the general populace is not happy, then you surely can not expect a second term. This is not a “Buy One Get One Free” scheme we are doing here. You have to work really hard to deserve that second term.

    So with all these in mind, the press conference was watched with a pinch of salt but was my curiosity piqued? It definitely was. I wanted to meet the man and ask him these questions face to face.  “Ngbo sir, they say you were spending fake dollars in America? How come?” “And while we’re on that, what mental illness is it that they say you suffer from?”. These were the firsts of many questions that I wanted to ask Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    I did a couple of posts to my thousands of followers on social media. I followed the primaries for the two leading parties in the state and when both

  • Ambode promises to campaign for Buhari, Sanwo-Olu

     As he receives, accompanies Buhari to Seme

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that he would lead a strong campaign to ensure victory for President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in the State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2019 general elections.

    Ambode spoke to journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport shortly after receiving and accompaning Buhari to perform the official commissioning of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Border Posts at Seme-Krake joint border post in Badagry.

    The governor said it was important for the APC to retain its leadership positions both at the federal and the State levels.

    “I have just accompanied Mr. President to the Nigerian-Benin border post. So what we have commissioned today is a joint Border Patrol post between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin and it is called Seme-Krake border post.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly denies plan to impeach Ambode

    “But again, just to also use this opportunity to let Lagosians know that we are heavily committed to the re-election of Mr. President and you can see that his continuous visit to Lagos reiterates the fact that he is actually a lover of Lagos State and I am committed to ensuring his re-election.

    “We are going to campaign heavily for him. I am also committed to ensuring that the APC wins the governorship election come 2019.  We support the candidacy of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we would make sure that APC retains Lagos State and the centre,” Ambode said.

    Earlier, the Governor had received President Buhari at the airport before the duo proceeded to Seme where the President joined his Republic of Benin counterpart, Patrice Talon to inaugurate the Border Post.

    With the inauguration, the Seme-Krake joint border, one of the busiest boundary lines not only in West Africa but the whole continent, daily recording huge movement of persons, goods and services, is expected to enhance the free movement of persons and goods in the region and foster integration between the people of Nigeria and Benin.

  • Can Agbaje make it in 2019?

    At the governorship primary of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje, a pharmacist, was elected as the flag bearer. Can he defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in next year’s election? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the prospects and constraints of his ambition.

    Shouts of ‘Jay Kay is okay’, the slogan of his campaign platform, filled the air. Jimi Agbaje, the governorship candidate of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for next year’s election was in high spirit. “A new Lagos is possible”, he said, amid cheers by his supporters, who listened to his acceptance speech after the primary.

    It was his third attempt. Despite the past electoral defeat, he is bubbling with enthusiasm and optimism. But, can he triumph at the poll next year?

    Agbaje is a household name in Lagos, held in esteem by many people across political parties. As a pharmacist and businessman, he has made money and name. Many people see him as a man of honour and integrity.

    He took off from ‘Idile’, a group of promising minds motivated by transformational ideas. But, he rose to prominence as an Afenifere foot soldier, serving the umbrella Yoruba socio-political group as treasurer.

    Many thought that his activities should have earned him a cabinet position in the Tinubu administration in 2003. But, sources said he declined the offer of government appointment. He was, unknown to a lot of party men, eyeing the driver’s seat.

    In 2007, Agbaje believed that he had paid his dues as a labourer in the vineyard of the socio-political organisation and the party it weaned, the Alliance for Democracy(AD).

    He unfolded his ambition for governor on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC). The party rose from the ashes of the AD, following its liquidation by the PDP-led Federl Government.

    However, the governorship primary did not favour him. Agbaje alleged that it was not free and fair. When Mr Babatunde Fashola(SAN) lifted the party flag, other aspirants cried foul. Agbaje, Olufemi Pedro, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Remi Adikwu Bakare, Abiodun Ogunleye, Oyinlomo Danmole, Kaoli Olusanya, Ganiyu Solomon, Erikitola, Kunle Lawal, Tola Kasali kicked against the nomination process.

    Party sources said that the AC leadership reached out to Agbaje. He was asked to consider the option of contesting for the Senate in the Central District. But, Agbaje rejected the offer on the ground that it would amount to injustice, since it was public knowledge that the former chairman of Apapa Council, Alhaji Muniru Muse, was already holding the ticket.

    To spite former Governor Bola Tinubu, Agbaje, Afikuyomi, Danmole, Lawal, and Adikwu-Bakare defected to Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA). A week after, Afikuyomi went to the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP) and emerged its governorship candidate. Pedro left for the Labour Party (LP), and later, the PDP. Surprisingly, Afikuyomi later showed up on poll day as Fashola’s agent at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office.

    In DPA, Agbaje floored Adikwu-Bakare during the governorship primary. Another aggrieved aspirant, the late Prof. Kunle Lawal, became his running mate. Adikwu-Bakare, former Commissioner for Women Affairs, hurriedly left for the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). She lost her deposit at the poll.

    After the shadow poll, an Afenifere chieftain told reporters that Adikwu- Bakare was  fired by her wrong projections, wondering why the elders would prefer her to Agbaje who had served them meritoriously.

    The campaign was hot. It was a moment of emotional wrenching. Fashola, Agbaje, Adikwu- Bakare, Afikuyomi and Musiliu Obanikoro were at war, as it were. Few years back, they belonged to the same party, AD, an offshoot of Afenifere.

    Agbaje’s manifestos were not significantly different from the promises made to Lagosians by Fashola and Adikwu-Bakare. The language was the same. Except Obanikoro’s PDP, the parties are similar. Throughout the campaign, Agbaje and Fashola only disagreed on one point the viability of the Fourth Mainland Bridge. While Agbaje said it was not a priority, Fashola insisted that the people needed it for ease of transportation. Up to now, it has remained a tall order.

    However, the battle was fought with vigour. Feathers were also ruffled. There was a great deal of political investment. Desperation could not be ruled out. The candidates were enveloped in anxiety.

    Agbaje was gifted in speech. He ran a neat campaign devoid of thuggery, unlike the PDP train of cutlasses, clubs, bows and arrows. Agbaje had money to run the campaigns. Apparently, he was supported by his rich friends. His print adverts were captivating. His radio and television jingles won souls. He toured the grassroots and made impressions. He avoided scandals like poison.

    One of his friends, Dr Kanyinsola Ajayi(SAN), said Agbaje would not be forgotten in a hurry because of the way and manner he engaged the masses.

    His associate, Mr Yinka Odumakin, shared the same view. He said the DPA candidate established himself as a credible and formidable alternative to the ‘same of the same’.

    However, Agbaje was soon to be put in a tight corner by  former Deputy Governor Pedro during one of the live debates. Pedro had inquired from him, derisively, the experience that qualified him to vie for the governorship of Lagos as the owner of  a patient medicine store, with not more than five employees under his control. The DPA candidate noted the scornful look and the attempt to diminish his profile.

    When Agbaje rose to defend himself, he returned the missiles. He reminded the former number two citizen of Lagos that when he was a Managing Director of a bank, he was a shareholder, indeed a Director, which implied part ownership. Agbaje also asked Pedro to explain the circumstances that led to his exit from the bank.  Besides, he added that the former deputy governor should respond to the allegation by his boss that he had not properly rendered his account of stewardship. Pedro flared up, taking exception to those replies. He explained that when he left his former working place, the organisation held a befitting send-forth for him.

    Despite the enormous electoral investment, Agbaje came third, trailing Obanikoro, who was defeated by Fashola.  The love of Lagosians for Agbaje was  undermined by a corresponding reluctance to adopt his party by voters. He was a strong contender hindered by his weak party.

    Agbaje lost the election, but not his honour. He claimed that his photograph or logo disappeared on the ballot paper. In protest, he went to the tribunal, urging the temple of upturn the results. He also lost in the court.

    In 2011, Agbaje did not contest. A source said APC leaders offered the position of deputy governor to him. But, he rejected it. He only attended political conferences and commented on burning national issues, particularly the electoral reforms and the national question.

    In 2015, he finally yielded to pressures on him by the PDP to run for governor. A sort of war broke out between him and Obanikoro. But, backed by Chief Bode George, he emerged as the candidate.

    During the election, former President Goodluck Jonathan threw his weight behind Agbaje. His party had lost the presidential election, but PDP wanted to win Lagos. The members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) were on the prowl. Although PDP won some House of Assembly and Representatives seats, the ultimate crown eluded the party. Agbaje was defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akin Ambode.

    After the election, Agbaje was said to have parted way with his leader, George. The retired soldier wanted to be the PDP national chairman. Agbaje, backed by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayo Fayose, struggled for the position with George. Both of them later lost the slot to Uche Secondus, who was also sponsored by the PDP governors.

    During the PDP primary, Agbaje defeated his rival, Deji Doherty, who does not enjoy his kind of popularity. But, can he beat the APC candidate,Babajide  Sanwo-Olu, in next year’s poll?

    In 2015, the PDP-led Federal Government supported Agbaje’s cause with big money. Ethnicity was also invoked as majority of Igbo gravitated to the PDP. Many were interested in partaking in the bonanza. But, does the same situation exists now? At the state and federal levels, the APC wields the power of incumbency. Many PDP chieftains, including its chairman, Goke Salvador, some legislators and their supporters, have defected to the APC.

    Agbaje has reputation. But, is his platform strong enough to take him to the Lagos State House?