Sanwo-Olu, Obasa, Yishawu receive INEC Certificate of Return, pledge good governance

By Moses Adeniyi

There were pledges of good governance from key holders of elective public offices who on Thursday received their Certificate of Return (CoR) from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having emerged successful as winners during the March 18 Governorship & State House of Assembly polls.

Leading other key officials who received their CoR on Thursday; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, were joined by their wives, cabinet members and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the INEC office in Yaba, Lagos.

At the occasion, Sanwo-Olu who declared it was time for the State to move forward and forge new frontiers for its progress, pledged taking the work commenced so far, to a new level of performance and delivery, starting from May 29.

He promised completion of all ongoing projects and ensure that new ones are funded, prioritised and delivered.

According to him, his second term mandate was won on the strength of Lagos’ diversity, proclaiming that his re-election reflected the wishes of all residents, irrespective of faith, creed or tongue.

He said: “Today, I stand before you older, wiser, more experienced, and more committed than ever to deliver on the contract that binds me to the good people of Lagos. We have made promises and we have also delivered on so many of them over the last four years, in line with our THEMES Agenda.

“Now, we must take the work to a new level of performance and delivery. We will complete all the ongoing projects and ensure that new ones are funded, prioritised and delivered. As we countdown to May 29, when this renewed mandate will commence, I assure Lagosians that together we are unlocking four more years of peace, progress, and prosperity for the State.

“It will be four more years of massive infrastructure renewal and development, four more years of forward-looking policies in transportation, health, education, environment, agriculture, security, wealth creation, entertainment and culture, and youth development. We are more determined to march into the future. Let us hold fast to all the lessons we have learnt and use them as valuable building blocks for what lies ahead.”

Sanwo-Olu expressed gratitude to the electorate for giving him and his party an overwhelming victory and renewing the mandate to lead the State for the next four years.

The Governor recognised and showed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for “laying solid foundations for future generations to build upon”.

He, however, urged residents of the State to continue to uphold the ideals of hard work, tolerance, innovative energy and quest for excellence, which, he said, united and bound Lagosians together more than their individual faith, tongue and social status.

Sanwo-Olu further made a passionate appeal to residents to remain law-abiding, promote citizenship, and fulfill their civic obligations, including obeying laws, paying taxes and being brothers’ keepers.

He said: “Every day, regardless of where in Lagos we live, or what mother tongue we claim, or the faith we embrace, we all set out full of hope and expectation that our hustle will pay off, that today will be better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today.”

He extended hands of fellowship to contestants in the opposition parties to join APC in leveraging the State’s diversity to bring about new prosperity for Lagos.

Recall Sanwo-Olu won his re-election in a landslide victory in the Saturday March 18 gubernatorial election, polling 762,134 votes to defeat his rivals.

Moreover, INEC at the event also presented certificates to all the 40 House of Assembly members-elect.

According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Lagos, Mr. Segun Agbaje, the 2023 general elections had good outcome, despite challenges that characterised the process.

He said the Commission remained undaunted and focused on doing all required within the ambit of the laws to avail all registered political parties that nominated candidates for the election equal opportunity to participate in the process.

Speaking to newsmen after receiving his CoR, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, said the presentation was a confirmation of their victory in the last polls, while pledging that they would protect the interests of Lagosians as lawmakers.

He assured Lagosians on behalf of his colleagues that they would build on the last Assembly’s success upon inauguration of the 10th Assembly.

“I feel highly elated, I am very happy. This presentation is a confirmation of our victory in the last poll. To what people of Lagos State should be expecting, I want to assure all Lagosians on behalf of my colleagues that we are ready to build on the last Assembly’s success.

“We will continue to make laws that will bring progress in Lagos and we will continue to protect the interests of Lagosians, that is the assurance we have with my colleagues. We are going to support the governor,” he pledged.

“We also have a president-elect that we have so much confidence in. He was former Governor of Lagos State and his track record is all over. i can also confirm that he will do very well and all the challenges in Lagos will be a thing of the past,” he added.

On his part, Lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency-1 in the State Assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu said he is ready prepared to do more than before for constituents within his jurisdiction.

“During the campaign, I made a lot of promises to my constituency. All the things I have being doing in the past for my constituency, I will do more to make it better, including trainings, youth empowerment which we have started already.”

“APC has done well in this election, and for our daddy, our mentor and the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you look at his track record and you can see for yourself that Nigeria would be better with him being President. What he did in Lagos, we know he can replicate it. If we have 10 other Lagos in Nigeria, you know what that will mean. We pray to God that there will be more Lagos all over Nigeria,” he added.