Tag: Fashola

Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of foul play and planlessness, saying its excuses for postponing distribution to residents were deceitful.

The governor, who expressed his displeasure in a state-wide broadcast, said INEC was being economical with the truth on why it decided to postpone distribution of PVC in nine local governments.

He said: “Barely 48 hours after I addressed you about our preparations and preparedness to enable you participate in the process of issuance of your Permanent Voters’ Card as planned and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I am constrained to address you again this morning.

“This is because by omission or commission, INEC has decided to make this a painful experience for us in Lagos by announcing that it will only issue Permanent Voters’ Card in the following 11 (Eleven) Local Governments.”

He listed the local governments where INEC decided to distribute PVCs to include, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Mushin, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Ojo.

According him, INEC had postponed the exercise in nine local government areas, which include Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa Badagry, Oshodi-Isolo, Epe, Shomolu, Surulere and Eti-Osa

Fashola lamented: “INEC now says that it will conduct the exercise on the 28th, 29th and 30th of November, 2014.

“I can only imagine the level of disappointment that you must all feel, having waited anxiously for this exercise and in spite of the fact that we had declared a work-free day.

“I am deeply disappointed at this display of lack of planning that speaks volumes of the contempt and disregard of this national agency for the rights of citizens.

“I wish to recall that it was INEC that first announced that this exercise was planned for August, and later shifted to September, and later to today and yet they did not get it right.

“If this is a foretaste of what we should expect in the general elections, for me it is a bad start. It tastes awful.”

The governor wondered why INEC had not answered the question he posed about the delisting of over 1.4 million voters from the register it compiled in 2011 in spite of assurances it gave Nigerians, and billions of naira it expended for the purpose.

Meanwhile, many potential voters who trooped out to obtain their PVCs were frustrated yesterday as officials of INEC did not show up at many of the registration centres.

Residents who trooped to their various polling units very early in the morning were disappointed as they waited several hours without the ad hoc officials of the commission showing up to distribute the PVCs.

The exercise, scheduled to start at 8 am had not begun at the time of filing this report around 2 pm, as polling units monitored by our reporter had residents with gloomy faces waiting endlessly for INEC officials who were yet to show up.

At a polling unit on Awolowo Way, Ikeja, residents were seen waiting for INEC officials.

At Sunday Adigun Street in Alausa, the polling unit of a former Governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Lagosians were seen waiting for INEC officials to no avail as they lamented the failure of the exercise and complained bitterly that they had not seen INEC’s officials coming to hand over their PVCs to them.

At Polling Unit 008, Alausa, there was no sign of INEC officials as residents who had waited for hours left in annoyance.

At Ward C, several people were seen waiting in vain for INEC officials, who had not shown up after 1 pm.

Former Chairman, Ikeja Local Government, Wale Odunlami, who was at Tinubu’s polling unit expressed disappointment that INEC’s officials had not shown up at 1 pm to distribute the PVCs to several people waiting to collect them.

He lamented that the exercise had been a fraud so far, but noted that there was need for Lagosians to be patient to collect their PVCs.

A consultant, Adewale Fasade, who was at Ward C to collect his PVC, said he had waited for hours without INEC officials showing up.

According to him, he went to his polling unit at Oregun and waited for hours for INEC officials to show up, saying that when they did not show up, he decided to come to Ward ‘C’ where he was told that some INEC’s officials were there to distribute the cards.

Fasade said he was disappointed when he had to wait for hours at Ward ‘C’ for INEC officials who refused to show up to distribute the cards, adding that he would not be deterred but ensure that he got his card to enable him vote in the forthcoming elections.

An All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain, Wale Ogundimu, who was at Ward ‘C’ said he mobilised several members to come to the ward as at 8:30am to collect their PVCs, but lamented that they had been waiting for INEC for six hours but the officials had refused to show up to distribute the PVCs.

“We need these cards and INEC has to get their act together. Lots of people have left already after they waited for a long time. We hope to get the cards as there are two more days left.”

Dear Lagosians,

Barely 48 hours after I addressed you about our preparations and preparedness to enable you participate in the process of issuance of your Permanent Voters’ Cards as planned and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I am constrained to address you again this morning.

This is because by omission or commission, INEC has decided to make this a painful experience for us in Lagos by announcing that it will only issue Permanent Voters’ Cards in the following 11  local governments:

1. Agege

2. Ajeromi- Ifelodun

3. Ifako-Ijaiye

4. Ikeja

5. Mushin

6. Lagos Island

7. Lagos Mainland

8. Ibeju-Lekki

9. Ikorodu

10. Kosofe; and

11. Ojo

As for the  nine remaining local governments, namely:

1. Alimosho

2. Amuwo-Odofin

3. Apapa

4. Badagry

5. Oshodi-Isolo

6. Epe

7. Shomolu

8. Surulere; and

9. Eti-Osa

 INEC now says that it will conduct the exercise on November 28, 29 and 30.

I can only imagine the level of disappointment that you must all feel, having waited anxiously for this exercise and in spite of the fact that we had declared a work-free day.

I am deeply disappointed at this display of lack of planning that speaks volumes of the contempt and disregard of this national agency for the rights of citizens.

I wish to recall that it was INEC that first announced that this exercise was planned for August, and later shifted to September, and later to today and yet they did not get it right.

If this is a foretaste of what we should expect in the general elections, for me, it is a bad start. It tastes awful.

INEC has not answered the question I posed about the delisting of over 1,400,000   voters from the register it compiled in 2011 in spite of assurances it gave Nigerians, and billions of naira it expended for the purpose.

As far as this further messy conduct is concerned, its lame excuse is nine contractors disappointed it.

Who are the contractors? Are they faceless?

I think Nigerians deserve to know who they are.

The information at my disposal is that all the cards are in Lagos and INEC must explain why it had decided not to distribute all of them.

Nevertheless, I want to urge all of you who registered in the 11 local governments, namely:

1. Agege

2. Ajeromi- Ifelodun

3. Ifako-Ijaiye

4. Ikeja

5. Mushin

6. Lagos Island

7. Lagos Mainland

8. Ibeju-Lekki

9. Ikorodu

10. Kosofe; and

11. Ojo

to go and collect your Permanent Voters’ Cards to prevent yourselves from being disenfranchised.

Our love for democracy and development that it had brought to our state and our lives must be bigger and stronger than our disappointment at a national agency that has let itself down.

For those of you who registered in the suspended nine local governments, namely:

1. Alimosho,

2. Amuwo-Odofin

3. Apapa

4. Badagry

5. Oshodi-Isolo

6. Epe

7. Shomolu

8. Surulere; and

9. Eti-Osa

I urge you to observe the work-free day and stay at home.

My local government in Surulere, that of the Deputy Governor in Alimosho and the Speaker in Epe are among those affected by the suspension.

I urge you to remain peaceful, but determined to be vigilant and assured that nobody will take your rights away because our government will stand up for you.

Thank you for listening.

God bless you all.

Eko o ni baje!

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain the disappearance of 1.447 million voters from the Lagos’ voters’ list.

Fashola made the call yesterday during a statewide broadcast to inform residents of the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) expected to begin tomorrow.

He explained that INEC had declared that it would distribute 4.8 million PVCs in Lagos State, whereas, during the last election in 2011, the voters’ list in Lagos was 6.247 million.

According to him, “I am concerned about the report of 4.8 million voters in Lagos State. This is strange; it is surprising and I believe INEC owes the people of Lagos a lot of answers and very quickly too.

“At the conclusion of voters’ registration exercise before the 2011 elections, the number of registered voters in Lagos as announced by INEC itself was 6,247,845. This was an exercise conducted by INEC. This was an exercise where INEC boasted to Nigerian that it has secured an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to ensure the credibility of the Voters’ Register.

“INEC must explain to us how 1,447,845  voters disappeared, leaving Lagos with only 4,800,000 registered voters.”

Fashola explained that the distribution of PVC indicated that election process has started, urging  eligible voters within the age 18 years to use one day to collect their cards to avoid being disenfranchise.

 “You have to register as a voter to be eligible to vote. We must take it seriously to make sure our names are in the voters’ register. Go to the polling centre to collect your PVC. No business or job can be more important than to collect your PVC between November 7 and 9. For those who want to collect the PVCs, they should go out and collect them,” he said.

“Let me assert very clearly and categorically that our Government will vigorously stand on the side of every eligible and previously registered voters to have their names back on the voters’ register compiled in 2011, unless INEC can show legitimate reasons why this should not be so.

“For those of our residents, who did not register at the last election, or who were not 18 years old at the time, but who have now reached that age and who want to register, the first phase of this exercise – which is to issue voters’ card from 7th to 9th of November 2014-  is not for you. Because a voter card is only produced from a previously existing register.”

He, however, appealed to those who have not registered before and were within the eligible age and those who were registered and could not find their names to re-register in the second phase, which is for continuous voter’s registration, starting from November 12 to November 17.

The governor also announced Friday as work free day for all public servants to enable them to collect their PVC.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain the disappearance of 1.447 million voters from the Lagos’ voters’ list.

Fashola made the call yesterday during a statewide broadcast to inform residents of the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) expected to begin tomorrow.

He explained that INEC had declared that it would distribute 4.8 million PVCs in Lagos State, whereas, during the last election in 2011, the voters’ list in Lagos was 6.247 million.

According to him, “I am concerned about the report of 4.8 million voters in Lagos State. This is strange; it is surprising and I believe INEC owes the people of Lagos a lot of answers and very quickly too.

“At the conclusion of voters’ registration exercise before the 2011 elections, the number of registered voters in Lagos as announced by INEC itself was 6,247,845. This was an exercise conducted by INEC. This was an exercise where INEC boasted to Nigerian that it has secured an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to ensure the credibility of the Voters’ Register.

“INEC must explain to us how 1,447,845  voters disappeared, leaving Lagos with only 4,800,000 registered voters.”

Fashola explained that the distribution of PVC indicated that election process has started, urging  eligible voters within the age 18 years to use one day to collect their cards to avoid being disenfranchise.

 “You have to register as a voter to be eligible to vote. We must take it seriously to make sure our names are in the voters’ register. Go to the polling centre to collect your PVC. No business or job can be more important than to collect your PVC between November 7 and 9. For those who want to collect the PVCs, they should go out and collect them,” he said.

“Let me assert very clearly and categorically that our Government will vigorously stand on the side of every eligible and previously registered voters to have their names back on the voters’ register compiled in 2011, unless INEC can show legitimate reasons why this should not be so.

“For those of our residents, who did not register at the last election, or who were not 18 years old at the time, but who have now reached that age and who want to register, the first phase of this exercise – which is to issue voters’ card from 7th to 9th of November 2014-  is not for you. Because a voter card is only produced from a previously existing register.”

He, however, appealed to those who have not registered before and were within the eligible age and those who were registered and could not find their names to re-register in the second phase, which is for continuous voter’s registration, starting from November 12 to November 17.

The governor also announced Friday as work free day for all public servants to enable them to collect their PVC.

Electricity supply in Lagos State received another boost yesterday as Governor Babatunde Fashola inaugurated the 8.8MW Mainland Independent Power Project (IPP) completed by CET Power Limited.

The Mainland IPP, according to the governor, would provide uninterrupted power supply to public institutions within the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ikeja.

The institutions include State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Old Secretariat complex, High Court complex, State Water Corporation and over 20 kilometres of existing public lighting.

The General Manager, State Electricity Board (LSEB), Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, said the project was a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

This is the fourth IPP to be completed within four years, bringing the total installed capacity from all IPPs to 41 Mega Watts (MW).

The first three are the Akute Power Plant (12.15MW); Island Power Plant (10MW) and Alausa Power Plant (10.4MW).

Ogunbiyi said the Mainland IPP would improve the delivery of social services to Lagos residents.

 She said: “The intent of the Lagos State government is to leverage on the Mainland IPP to improve the wellbeing of Lagos residents.

“The belief of the Fashola administration is that with efficient power, security of life and property will be enhanced.  Lagosians can enjoy economic prosperity from having a vibrant night economy.

“The new IPP is a natural gas fired power generating facility and that it will eradicate the use of petrol and diesel generating sets; reduce noise pollution and carbon monoxide emission, thereby promoting a cleaner environment.”

Lagos State Governor, Mr.  Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has urged the Federal Government  to return the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) to the original owners, saying the central government was given the edifice to manage.

Fashola made the remark yesterday  at the launch of a book written by a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, at the City Hall, Lagos,

The event  had in attendance the former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Niyi Adebayo and former Federal Commissioner for Works, Mr. Femi Okunnu.

Also at the event were former ministers of Foreign Affairs and State for Interior, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia and Mr. Ademola Seriki and Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, among others.

According to him, “when people tell me that they have sold Tafawa Balewa Square,  I laugh because they did so in absolute ignorance. It can never be sold.

“That used to be part of the land that belongs to the king of Lagos. And with the conquest and possession of Lagos, it became crown land administered by the British Crown.

“At the end of the colonial era, it was passed on to the Federal Government. And when Lagos was created along with other 11 states, it became state-owned land.

“All lands that were inherited by the Nigerian government from the British government were further handed over to the states where those lands were.

“And the only legislation that exists today on the place was the TBS Management Act. With this act, the Federal Government was given the managerial power and not the ownership of the facility,” the governor added.

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu described the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, as a true son of Lagos.

Akiolu, who spoke in Yoruba and English, said: “There are many things that were taken unlawfully from us. I am a lawyer. When Fashola leaves office after eight years, emi pelu e ni ajo maa joko (we will sit together). What we used in Oduntan between 1905 and 1913, we will use it to get them back.”

He added that they would look at the issues that had deprived Lagos some of its benefits, especially some of the heritages of the state.

According to him, “I prayed that I did not want to be the Inspector General of Police but the Oba of Lagos, and God did it. I also prayed that the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, should assume the throne of his father, and God answered the prayer, and this that we are about to accomplish will come to past.

“The one that we are facing now, ibi ti Olorun ati emi oba ba gbesi, ibe ni oma lo (wherever GOD and I, Oba Akiolu, want it, that is where it will be),” he added.

Explaining his lineage, he said: “You all are calling Shasore today, but many do not know that he is a grandson of the land owners in Lagos.

“His grandfather, Rufai Ojoye Shasore, was to be the Chief Oluwa of Lagos in 1913, but intrigues from some people did not allow him to assume that post. The man took all that happened in good faith, but Oba Faolu was not happy.

“The grandfather of Shasore and Oba Faolu’s mother, Adeogun, were related to that palace. This was why immediately Oba Faolu became the Oba of Lagos, he appointed Supo Shasore’s father as the Shasore of Lagos.”