Battle for Lagos: No panic, Sanwo-Olu would be re-elected, APC coming out stronger — Omotoso

By Moses Adeniyi

Supporters of the candidacy of Govenor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his re-election do not have to panic as the Governor would be massively elected on Saturday,  March 11, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, has assured.

Omotoso who addressed State House Correspondents on Tuesday on the recent political climate in the State, keeping in view the loss of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to opposition Labour Party in the presidential election held less than two weeks on February 25, said there was no need to panic as those who are well aware of the performance of Sanwo-Olu, APC’s flagbearer, in office would reelect him.

Omotoso who said the insinuation that the Party lost Lagos was not correct but is a reflection of the “beauty of democracy,” assuring the APC would come out “stronger and better.”

While stating that factors that led to loss of APC’s strongholds such as Alimosho Local Government Area (LGAs) in the presidential election were being taken care of, he said the Party would come out stronger in the Saturday March 11 gubernatorial election.

Affirming that Sanwo-Olu is the best among the candidates “in terms of knowledge, diligence and experience to run Lagos at this time,” he said “running Lagos is not moi-moi,” a bean cake delicacy, positing that it takes only seasoned and experienced product to manage the State with its complex nature.

“There is no need to panic about Mr. Sanwo-Olu,” he assured, speaking of Sanwo-Olu’s performance, such as his stride in the management of the COVID-19 which he said attracted global attention, creating a response template to fight pandemic.

He said his achievements in infrastructure, education — with over 1,000 projects across districts of the State, among others, were speaking testimonies to affirm his reelection, saying Sanwo-Olu is “most competent to lead Lagos” among runners in the gubernatorial race.

He argued that “Lagos is too complex and delicate to be left in the hands of novices,” calling on Lagosians not to sacrifice competence for sentiment.

Omotoso lamented the growing tribal coloration introduced into the system and “not the content of their character,”  mentioning that it does not speak to the civilised culture of Lagos, while calling on Lagosians to ignore those championing such course.

On the questions over factions in the APC, Omotoso who argued that for every human community with people, there is no way there wouldn’t be aggrieved members leading to friction, said such grievances were not peculiar to the APC and would be resolved.

He argued that “as the biggest party in this State and the biggest in Nigeria,” for APC having such large structure, friction is bound to take place, but not enough case for panicking, stating that such matters were being settled.

On argument that town hall meetings were neglected, Omotoso said though pressing issues of Statecraft such as the need to fix enormous potholes which were all over the State as of the time the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led Administration kicked off in May 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the need to double-up efforts on pressing demands, thereafter rousing, restricted certain outreach, yet Sanwo-Olu took engagement forum to some LGAs.

On fear of repeat of the February 25 presidential elections, he said there is no need to panic, stating, “Lagosians are highly deciding people who understand what the government is doing.”

He said, Lagosians love Sanwo-Olu and would vote him, assuring what happened during the presidential election,  is not insurmountable, and would be surmounted.

He discredited claims that the government is far from the youth, saying the campaign of the alleged #ENDSARS killings as ground against the Governor is a matter of emotion Lagosians should not allow to dislodge their logic in making the right decision.

Saying Sanwo-Olu’s Administration built 10 youth centres, invested in the creative industry with training of about 16,000 youths, internship programme with job opportunities, presently building eight stadia, among others, he said the government has been creating opportunities for youths, arguing the question of disconnect does not arise.