{"id":41922,"date":"2015-09-12T16:28:48","date_gmt":"2015-09-12T15:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=41922"},"modified":"2015-09-12T16:28:48","modified_gmt":"2015-09-12T15:28:48","slug":"lagos-governance-on-a-free-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/articles-opinions\/lagos-governance-on-a-free-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"Lagos: Governance On A Free Fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u00a0<\/span>m cock-sure <\/span>John F. Kennedy and former Vice-President Rich<\/span>ard M. Nixon were not concern<\/span>ed<\/span> about winning a political battle or outsmarting one another in Sept. 26, 1960 when the duo participated in the first televised presidential debate in the United States. To them it was not about pride, oratory or <\/span>fashion. It was a moment to outline in clear terms their understanding of how their society works; the problems that is at hand and the problem that is to come; solutions to these problems; policies to be implemented and bills to write. <\/span>
\nThe idea of having a debate either at the federal or state level is not borne out of any attempt to disgrace any contender but to expose their understanding of the society they wish to govern so as to enable the electorates make wiser and informed decision. <\/span>The erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Babatunde <\/span>Fashola<\/span> concretized the importance of having a political debate <\/span>saying: Debates help you to test the candidates and be able to form an idea; that this candidate has an idea of what the problems are. Those are the things that help people to make choices.\u009d<\/span>
\nAlas, during the last govern<\/span>orship election in Lagos State <\/span>this critical part of the electoral process which has become a <\/span>sort of <\/span>tradition in <\/span>the <\/span>state <\/span>since the maturity of our democratic process <\/span>was jettisoned on the altar <\/span>of ulterior motives.<\/span>
\nHow we gave a state with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that equates that of the entire oil producing country of Angola, doubles that of Kenya and far above the combination of Ghana, Tunisia, Benin, Togo, Mali, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe <\/span>altogether <\/span>out without proper scrutiny beats my imagination. <\/span>
\nEvery call for a debate was met with absence from the governorship candidate, <\/span>Akinwunmi<\/span> Ambode<\/span> and all attempts made to have him read out his plans for the state was either scuttled by non appearance <\/span>or ironically aided with<\/span> phrases like we have a track-record by <\/span>Fashola<\/span>– the same advocate for debate. <\/span>Ambode<\/span>\u00a0incompetence was ferociously guided by the <\/span>Bourdillon<\/span>ian<\/span> forces<\/span>. <\/span>Th<\/span>is,<\/span>Lagosians<\/span> and r<\/span>esidents of the economic and commercial <\/span>capital of Nigeria <\/span>may <\/span>be on a road to pay dearly for. <\/span>
\nTo say <\/span>Ambode<\/span>\u00a0100days in office has been tragic will be an understatement. For <\/span>a <\/span>state that has positioned itself as the hallmark of excellence not just in service but governance <\/span>celebrating 100days in office with donations of security vehicles and signing <\/span>of <\/span>some<\/span> Certificate of Occupancies (C of O<\/span>) <\/span>when it is not as if the state is bereaved <\/span>is rather belittling<\/span> and retrogressive. <\/span>
\nA flashback to <\/span>Fashola<\/span>\u00a0100days celebration shows a <\/span>sharp <\/span>contrast<\/span> between a competent fellow and a charlatan. <\/span>In 100days, <\/span>Fashola<\/span> completed the Phase 2<\/span> of <\/span>the <\/span>Adetokunbo<\/span> Ademola<\/span> road in Victoria Island<\/span> and <\/span>constructed<\/span> the <\/span>Pedestrian<\/span> Bridge<\/span> at <\/span>Sanya<\/span> Bus Stop on <\/span>Apapa<\/span> Oshodi<\/span> Expressway. <\/span>The purchase of <\/span>100 Bus Rapid Transit (<\/span>BRT<\/span>) Buses, dredging and <\/span>rechanneling<\/span> of the <\/span>Ikpakodo<\/span>–<\/span>Ibeshe<\/span>–<\/span>CMS<\/span>–<\/span>Badore<\/span>–<\/span>Ijede<\/span> route for waterways transportation, setting up of the free health services and the <\/span>Eko<\/span> Free Malaria Treatment were all achieved <\/span>during these<\/span> 100days. <\/span>If my memory serves me right, I believe it was at that time the <\/span>Eko<\/span> Micro-finance initiative that gave loan of 250million naira to small scale enterpr<\/span>ises, <\/span>the <\/span>Mortgage scheme <\/span>with<\/span> 10% interest rate <\/span>and the famous clean<\/span>s<\/span>ing of Lagos from miscreants and thugs <\/span>were<\/span> achieved<\/span>. <\/span>
\nRather than face the task of governance, Mr. <\/span>Ambode<\/span> seems to have found comfort in social engagements and gatherings,<\/span> courting <\/span>for <\/span>himself<\/span> the <\/span>appellation<\/span> “<\/span>Yuppy <\/span>Daddy” <\/span>amidst <\/span>fellow ‘<\/span>nightlifers<\/span>‘<\/span>. The Ago Palace way in <\/span>Okota<\/span> has continued to b<\/span>e an eye sour with daily records<\/span> of ac<\/span>cidents on the deplo<\/span>rable road. <\/span>D<\/span>itto the <\/span>Ilaje<\/span> road in <\/span>Bariga<\/span>, <\/span>Ashimowu<\/span> Bakare Street in <\/span>Surulere<\/span>, <\/span>and<\/span> the <\/span>Muyiwa<\/span> Opaleye\u00a0<\/span>Street in <\/span>Aguda<\/span> amongst numerous others across Lagos State. <\/span>
\nAs if the miscreants and hoodlums sent away by the <\/span>Fashola<\/span> administration got a special invitation, thugs are back to <\/span>Oshodi<\/span> and its environs. Some say the reason for this sudden found confidence is because these miscreants are aware the new governor can only bark but lacks the will to bite. <\/span>While this is simply in the corridors of beer-<\/span>parlour <\/span>talks, how does one explain the flouting of the governor order by drivers of trailers and long vehicles on the restriction of movement? If that is not enough what about commercial motorcycle riders who now ply restricted <\/span>routes unabated?<\/span> As if we are in a state of lawlessness, people now get robbed indiscriminately in <\/span>traffic!<\/span>
\nTo<\/span> thi<\/span>s day, there is no clear economic<\/span> policy of the present administration<\/span> in the public domain<\/span>.<\/span> The government is yet to state in clear terms how it intend to resuscitate the state dying education sector, make public its blueprint on employment generation<\/span>, <\/span>potable water and health s<\/span>ervices. What are we even talking about? T<\/span>he street lights whic<\/span>h was<\/span> one of the strides of the past administration no longer glow at night. <\/span>
\nOne Baba Akande<\/span> summed <\/span>up the ineffectiveness of <\/span>Ambode<\/span> i<\/span>n one phrase when he posted on <\/span>social media thus: I wonder why everyone is telling <\/span>Ambode<\/span> to <\/span>work;<\/span> can you send someone else houseboy an errand? Speak to the <\/span>Oga<\/span> ooo<\/span>
\nThe task of governing a state like Lagos demands more than hanging around some godfathers who apparently are not bothered by the productivity of the person in power but the<\/span>ir pocket; politics may not be for some of <\/span>us<\/span> but I m d<\/span>amn<\/span> sure <\/span>that <\/span>governance<\/span> requires <\/span>much <\/span>more than being a fashionista <\/span>or <\/span>turn <\/span>up <\/span>master<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boladale is a public affairs analyst, political commentator and consultant on intra governmental affairs. He is on twitter <\/span><\/i>@<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/u><\/span>Adekoyabee<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u00a0m cock-sure John F. Kennedy and former Vice-President Richard M. Nixon were not concerned about winning a political battle or outsmarting one another in Sept. 26, 1960 when the duo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\nLagos: Governance On A Free Fall - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/articles-opinions\/lagos-governance-on-a-free-fall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lagos: Governance On A Free Fall - Pointblank News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I\u00a0m cock-sure John F. 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