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Tag: Babajide Sanwo-Olu

  • Why council chairmen are backing me, by Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State Governorship aspirants of the  All Progressives Congress (APC) Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday debunked the insinuation on social media that the local governments chairmen are backing him for economic gain.

    Those spreading such falsehood, he said, are either bereft of knowledge of Lagos politics or are only out for mischief.

    The council chairmen under Conference 57 have backed for Sanwo-Olu to be the party’s candidate.

    He said the Conference 57’s endorsement is borne out of the group’s desire to take Lagos to a greater height.

    A statement by Babajide Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organisation (BOSCO) Media Director Olusesan Daini said it welcome various endorsements, support with excitement.

    He said: ‘’We are reading all sorts of lies, distortions of facts and some falsehood posts on social media aimed at disparaging our movement and our leader. But we have decided not to respond to them because most of the posts are without authors. Rather than dissipate energy on all that, we have concentrated work on mobilizing our base and preparing everyone for the election.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu inaugurates campaign team

    “Some party leaders who have openly identified with Mr. Sanwo-Olu include former minister and notable politicians, Mr. Ademola Seriki, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East Senatorial District), former House of Representatives member Mr. Monsuru Owolabi (Bertola), and several current House of Representatives members; a One-time Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, frontline politician Mr. Shakirudeen Sola Giwa, Cardinal Omolaja Odumbaku (Baba Eto) among others.

    “We expressed joy and excitement at the outpouring of love from Lagosians, particularly the torrents of endorsements from various political and socio-economic groups across the state and several Lagosians living in the diaspora. It is a confirmation that the people of Lagos are fully in support of my aspiration to administer the state as governor.”

    Apart from Conference 57, which had identified the sterling qualities of Sanwo-Olu and had stood behind him from the beginning, many other political associations and groups have come out to declare their support for him ahead of the party primary elections.

    “We have received calls from hundreds of notable politicians from across Lagos State, declaring their love for the choice of Sanwo-Olu. Some have actually written us letters to pledge their support and to endorse our man. Just yesterday (Wednesday), the Private Sector Participants (PSP) operators in Lagos issued a statement to applaud the choice of Sanwo-Olu, whom many have described as a great administrator, a listening leader and a man of character. Some other endorsements for Mr. Sanwo-Olu include The Consolidation Group (TCG), with the entire Amuwo Odofin and Badagry chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as several notable individuals,” Daini said.

    On the revised time table for the primaries, Daini said although the BOSCO is ready for the election, adding that the three days shift will give the campaign committee an opportunity to further reach as many party members as possible.

    “We need thousands of our members to come out en-masse to vote for Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on September 29. We need to show that our strength as a political movement is in our numbers as we are working round the clock to ensure that we record a huge turnout of party faithful on the day of the primary election,’’ he said.

     

     

  • I don’t believe Tinubu will stop me: Sanwo-Olu

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday said he did not believe national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would ask him to backpedal on his ambition.

    Sanwo-Olu made the statement during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos.

    A journalist had asked him whether he would step down his ambition if Tinubu asked him do so.

    Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner for Training and Establishment, was reported to have been adopted by party chieftains loyal to Tinubu and the 57 council chairmen to puncture the second-term bid of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Ambode had declared his second-term bid on Monday, while Dr Obafemi Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, had also obtained and submitted his nomination form for the race.

    The state party chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun had told newsmen on Wednesday that the governorship ticket was open to all aspirants.

    Sanwo-Olu told newsmen that he did not think Tinubu would ask him to step down for Ambode or any other aspirant, as the party leader is a firm believer in internal democracy.

    “Your question is if my national leader (Tinubu) asks me to back down at the end of the day, what will I do?

    “You see, I really don’t know which side of the divide you want us to stay.

    “Sometimes, people will say this man (Tinubu) is imposing and he is not allowing aspirants to contest for positions.

    “They say there is no internal democracy. But this man is a democrat who will allow democracy to rule and thrive.

    “My aspiration has nothing to do with an individual; my national leader is my national leader and he is the leader of everybody.

    “Therefore, his passion is about Nigeria and not Lagos alone. The movement we have started is participatory democracy, and so there is no basis for him (Tinubu) urging me to drop my ambition.

    “Asiwaju is a democrat, and I trust he will allow the process to go on without any rancour.

    “On September 25, by the grace of God, the entire APC members will vote for me as the candidate to represent them in the 2019 elections,” he said.

    The aspirant said he was motivated to seek the number one seat in the state out of the need to deliver innovative and an inclusive government.

    He said he would bring about a state which everybody would be proud of, if elected as governor.

    The aspirant said he would be a listening leader and would do so many things differently to actualise the Lagos of everybody’s dream.

    Sanwo-Olu decried what he called the filthy state of Lagos environment and said that he would restore the cleanliness of the state if elected.

    He said his mission to reposition the state was on course and he would formally declare his bid on Sunday.

    NAN reports that party chieftains, including the immediate past Vice Chairman of the party in the state, Chief James Odumbaku and former commissioner, Mr Tola Kasali, were with Sanwo-Olu at the session.

    Some federal and state lawmakers, including Mr Rotimi Agunsoye, were also at the session.

    Council chairmen, councillors, members of his campaign team and other party members were in attendance as well.

  • My aspiration has nothing to do with Tinubu – Sanwo-Olu

    Governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Wednesday that his aspiration has nothing to do with the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but about taking a new Lagos to the next level.

    Speaking with newsmen at the APC national secretariat after submitting his nomination form, Sanwo-Olu who is widely referred to as the announced candidate of the former Lagos state governor expressed confidence that Lagos state will be better off with him as governor of the state.

    Read Also:Atiku: why PDP didn’t snatch Lagos from Tinubu

    He said that as a three time Commissioner, two time Special Adviser and head of the biggest corporation in Lagos state, he has the acquired experience to run the state.

    He said “There is no doubt that things will be said here and there. I am a full grown man with several years of experience. Like I said, it is about the Lagos of our dream and the Lagos that we want to take to the next level and so, it has absolutely nothing to do with our leader.

    “There is no denying the fact that he has been our national leader and he plays that role not only in the state, but at the national level. He has interest in the improvement and wellbeing of the Nigerian dream.

    “So, by extension, Lagos is a dream that he is passionate about and we will continue to refer to him as our leader. The most other things, is that I am in front of you, this is who I am and this is what I have come to express to you and Lagos will be a better place for all of us.”

    On the supposed controversy generated by his entrance into the race, Sanwo-Olu said “the truth is that I not in Ambode’s shoes right now and what has been generated is a reflection of the fact that people have come to understand and know the kind of person that I am.

    “A whole lot of us had to redefine the Lagos project. This is not the forum where I will begin to roll out to you the very many first that people think were done by some other individuals, but there were other people behind them, that brought out those ideas, policies and implementation plan.

    “There are so many first that I can begin to attribute to myself in the 11 years that I have had to do in the public service. Like I said, I have served three different governors and in three different ministries, serve twice in the governor’s office, Head the biggest agency of government.

    “So, the blueprint that we have been looking at since 1999 was out together by some of us. We are all friends, but it is politics. For me, I think this is the time. I have always told my children; that whatever you believe in stay on that course. So, if I cannot also do what I preach, I will begin to regret when I am 75 that I didn’t do what I was supposed to do.”

    Asked why he is contesting the governorship of Lagos at this point in time, he said “I am someone that is over 50 years old, infact I am 53 years old. More importantly, in the last 30 years, I have spent 16 years in the private sector and 11 in the public sector. I have been three time Commissioner, two time special Adviser, I have been Managing Director of the biggest corporation in the state and has served about three governors.

    “So, I have had a dream to obviously contribute more as a Lagosian, as a son of the soil and just to let our people get to the level where they know that governance is all about people, what they expect and what you throw back to them to them to improve the cost of living and security of lives.

    “Given the number of years of my experience in the public and private sector, I think it is appropriate for me now. Certainly, I am not going to wait until the not too young catches up with us. So, it is better for me to bring that aspiration to bear today.”

    The aspirant would not be drawn into the issue of endorsement and a supposed stakeholders meeting saying “I am in Abuja now and certainly cannot know what is happening in Lagos. You are in the media and so have access to information that I don’t have. When I get to Lagos and there is a meeting called by the leadership, I will attend the meeting.

    “But in terms of endorsement, it is a work in progress. People have been asking questions, wanting to know the type of person that I am. I certainly will never say it is hurray because it is a journey and not a destination.

    “It will be very presumptions of me to stand before you and begin to imagine that 57 Chairmen have endorsed me. That mean I am going to sleep. That will not be so.

    “The mandate groups are my people; we are in the same family and will continue to work. It is Lagosians at the end of the day that has the bills to pay. We will ensure that we are not restricted and will get to all those we need to get to and not take anybody for granted”.