Kunle Adelabu
Lagosians have been enjoined to vote for the re – election of the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olushola Sanwo – Olu, to sustain the tempo of developments in the state.
A former Chairman, Kosofe Local Government, Barr. Adedeji Muyiwa, made the clarion call, while also stating that a change in administration which may mean abandoning of ongoing projects, and should not be encouraged.
The ex-Council boss, who has since left active politics for professional engagements, made the appeal at Mende, Maryland on Thursday, when he parleyed selected community media publishers.
While stating that the result of the last Presidential election shocked him to his marrow, he said that it is important for people to know the achievements of Sanwo – Olu’s administration and what he still intends to do for Lagos if re-elected.
“The reason for this parley today is because I need your assistance in showcasing the good job of Babajide Sanwo-Olu. I have a compendium of his achievements; what he has done since he got into office and what he is still doing. There are other things that he also plans to do”, Barr. Muyiwa said.
“You may be looking at me as to why am I interested in this because I quit politics as far back as 2011. I am interested in him because of myself, yourself and the future of Lagos. The reason I am interested in him is because of your Lagos and my Lagos”, the former Council boss added.
“I dreamt and I look at the whole thing; I look at Lagos in the present democratic era and the Lagos we have today and I said if we don’t vote for Babajide and allow him to go like this, what do we stand to lose? Number one, I remember in 1978, when Jakande inaugurated the metro line, you know immediately the military took over, they abandoned that project till today.
“It is not until this administration came on board that the project was revisited. They abandoned that project as far as 1983. A child born in that year is 40 years old today. Why I am appealing to Lagosians is that, if we allow this administration to go like that, all the laudable projects that the governor has embarked upon may be abandoned and we cannot allow that”.
Stating some of Sanwo – Olu administration’s major achievements, the former Kosofe Council boss listed the ongoing reconstruction of the Badagry Expressway, Lekki – Epe expressway and Lagos airport.
“Look at Lagos/Badagry expressway, which Ambode started, if not for the fact that Sanwo-Olu came in and he started the road again, what will be the state of the road now?”, he asked.
“There is also the Lekki – Epe corridor. When you look at Lekki – Epe corridor today, you will see a massive development and construction of road going on there to Epe, which is about 85 percent completed, with BRT lines forming part of the road. People are now buying lands in Epe.
“Today, Epe is moving forward in terms of real estate with many investing in it. It is because of that road that the real estate is springing up. Same thing is happening in Badagry. Apart from that, let’s look at the Lagos State airport”, he added.
Barr. Muyiwa, who also stated that Lagos still needs Sanwo – Olu, appealed to youths who formed the largest part of the population to see the need to support the governor for re – election based on his achievements in the last four years.
While stating that Sanwo – Olu has the blueprint for Lagos development and that he is executing them, the former Council boss also said that his mission is not to allow Lagos go back to the pre – 1999 era when there were abandoned projects all over and waste management was zero.
“The reason I am doing this is so simple, and that is because I don’t want Lagos to go back to the 70s or 80s, when there were a lot of abandoned projects and when Lagos was tagged as the dirtiest city”.
While listing some of the projects that Sanwo – Olu’s administration in Lagos, Barr. Muyiwa said:
“Some of the completed projects in Ikorodu Division of Lagos are: Construction of the 32 – metric tons per hour Imota Rice mill which is the largest in West Africa, Itamaga – Ijede Road Phase 1, Completion of Ipakodo/Ogolonto Road, Tinubu Housing Estate in Ibeshe, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye Housing Estate in Igbogbo, transmutation of former Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) into Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ita – Elewa Youth Centre, Redevelopment/Upgrading of General Hospital Ikorodu”, he said.
“Ongoing projects are Igbogbo/Asiwaju Tinubu/Igbe Laara/Gintin Road, Agric/Owutu/Isawo Road, Odofin Street/Obafemi Awolowo Way, Reconstruction of Igbogbo Township Stadium, Itamaga/Gberigbe Road”.
He also listed construction of jetties in many waterfronts in Ikorodu; construction of hostels, rehabilitation of school blocks and libraries among others.
