governorship elections in Lagos State, if pedigree counts, if attitude
counts, if character counts, if honour counts, if excellence counts, if
training, capacity, capability count, Akinwunmi Ambode is the incoming
governor of Lagos State.
Incoming governor Akinwunmi Ambode must be a lucky man to enter the centre
stage at this critical point in the nation’s history. For close to 36years
Lagos has never fully connected with the centre in a civilian dispensation
being a progressive state and home of progressives. For close to 36years
Lagos has been allowed by the powers that be at the centre to rot and pine
away in hopelessness and helplessness. The special status promise
guaranteed by the late General Murtala Mohammed never saw the light of the
day even till date.
All the states created with Lagos in 1967 have been split to two, three or
four states with only Lagos remaining one state. In the attempt to bring
development to the door steps of the people of Lagos State former governor
Bola Ahmed Tinubu created more 37 local governments from the existing 20
LGAs in Lagos but the government at the centre refused to recognize the 37
local governments till date. Lagos named these 37 local governments Local
Council Development Areas, LCDAs. Whatever was given to the recognized 20
local government has always been shared among the 57. With more than 25
million people, Lagos has been finding it difficult to cope with its
challenges without support from the centre. To add salt to injury Lagos
has been rebuilding the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, a federal road without
support from the Federal Government. A light rail project from Okokomaiko
to Marina has been going on without the support of the Federal Government.
All over the world, no state government has carried out such a project
without the support of the central government.
Now you can imagine how lucky Ambode is to come on board at a time when an
All Progressives Congress, APC will control both Abuja and Lagos. The PDP
controlled Federal Government which will end in May 29 2015 has helped in
no certain terms to humiliate and decimate the opposition in the past
16years. Thank God this error of history will end very soon. It is indeed
a new dawn for Ambode’s Lagos. This is the very important reason why Lagos
must remain in the hands of APC. This is the reason why Lagosians must
usher in Ambode with more than three million votes on Saturday April 11
2015. We cannot struggle for 36years to install a government at the centre
only to let Lagos go to PDP. It will never happen, and Lagosians must know
this truth, before they go to the polls.
Lagosians want President Buhari to help them to convert the 37 LCDAs to
recognized Local Government Areas. Lagosians want President Buhari to help
to recognize the special status promised by the late Murtala Mohammed
almost four decades ago. Lagosians want Abuja to help them to build the
fourth Mainland Bridge up to Ikorodu division. Lagosians want help from
Abuja to complete the Lagos-Badagry expressway which is a Federal road.
Lagosians cannot afford to throw these gains away by voting PDP. The
problems and challenges facing Lagos are far too enormous and monumental
that we have to put the state in the hands of an apprentice who knows
nothing in matters of governance and public administration.
Jimi Agbaje of PDP has no experience at all in matters of governance when
compared with Mr Akinwunmi Ambode who possess 27 years cognate experience
in public administration spanning from the local government to the state
level, and leaving the service as the State Accountant General. I am told
that competence and experience guarantee performance. Lagos is too
important to be left in the hands of learners and meretricious mediocrity.
Some people say they need change in Lagos and I ask, is Jimi Agbaje of
PDP, (a dying Party) the change that we need? What is he going to bring to
the table? What does he know about governance of a complex State like
Lagos? Is Lagos a laboratory for experiments by learners? Can we use a
shoe for hammers? How can Lagosians vote in a man who has never been a
Councilor, a Local Government Chairman, a Commissioner, a Permanent
Secretary, Senator, House of Rep Member, Minister, Special Adviser to
Governor or President, Ambassador as governor of Lagos? Everybody wants to
lead, but at what cost? A careless leadership can result in a major loses
everywhere.
APC has walked a long road, faced many challenges, walked through the
mines, and scaled many walls to get to where we are today and we cannot
experiment with Lagos. Akinwunmi Abode knows Lagos at his finger tips. He
has worked in Badagry, Mushin, Alimosho and Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local
Governments. He has worked with the Lagos Waste Disposal Board, LSWDB. He
has been an Auditor-General for local governments at the age of 37, a
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and retired as the
Accountant General of the State. He is a Fellow of Institute of Chattered
Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, a Master Degree holder in Finance
Management. He has attended many professional training in leadership in
Harvard Business School, Cranfield University UK, Wharton Business
Philadelphia, USA, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Massachusetts, IMF and
the World Boston etc.
Abuja has never been lucky in the department of leadership but Lagos has
been lucky. Akinwunmi Ambode will continue to build on the legacies of His
Excellencies Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola. He worked with both
superstars and he understands the way to the destination.
Welcome Governor Ambode of Lagos State!
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos