Lagos APC: By-elections as vote of confidence

The outcome of last weekend’s House of Assembly and senatorial elections in Lagos East District has further confirmed the strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a formidable platform. It also underscores a vote of confidence on the Sanwo-Olu administration. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

 

BABATUNDE Gbadamosi, ebullient and fork-tongued flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was full of bravado ahead of last weekend senatorial by-election in Lagos East District. He boasted that the poll will be a game changer.

Also exuding confidence, a reticent and more matured banker-turned politician, Tokunbo Abiru, candidate of the more formidable and entrenched All Progressives Congress (APC), intensified his campaigns in the five local governments of EPe, Ikorodu, Ibeju-Lekki, Somolu and Kosofe.

Although the former Polaris Bank managing director has intimidating credentials, he leaned on the status and historic feats of the Lagos APC. He ran a campaign based on issues, directing public attention to what the party had done for the state. The mark of APC was bold on the face of Abiru, whose illustrious father, the late Justice Akanbi Abiru, served as a Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) senator in the Second Republic.

According to election monitors, the elections were free, fair, peaceful and credible.

At the close of poll, the difference was clear. Abiru of APC defeated the PDP candidate with a wide margin, the apathy that characterised the exercise not withstanding. He scored over 89, 204 votes; a far cry from the 11,257 garnered by his kinsman from Ikorodu.

The ruling party also won the House of Assembly by-election. Former Lagos APC Assistant Secretary Obafemi Saheed polled 12, 494 votes to defeat his rival, Sikiru Alebiosun of PDP, who got 2, 068 votes.

The two seats became vacant, following the demise of Senator Bayo Osinowo and Tunde Braimoh, who were grassroots politicians. However, APC recovered the lost ground, to the consternation of the divided, crisis ridden and decimated opposition party.

What does the outcome of the by-elections portends for the two main parties? To observers, the supremacy conflict between the two platforms was resolved in the favour of the progressive party, APC.

Besides, many analysts believe that the election results underscored a vote of confidence on the APC administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has consistently worked tirelessly to build on the foundation laid by his illustrious successors, particularly the national party leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Since he succeeded Akinwunmi Ambode last year, Sanwo-Olu, surveyor and banker, had turned the Centre of Excellence into a huge construction site. The projects which cut across the five divisions of Epe, Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja and Lagos have multiplier effects and they have rekindled public hope and confidence about  campaign promise fulfilment and effective delivery of dividends of democracy.

Historically, PDP has never won senatorial elections in Lagos State since 1999. The two PDP senators-Adeseye Ogunlewe (East), Dr. Wahab Dosunmu (West) and Musiliu Obanikoro (Central)-took off from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which metamorphosed into Action Congress (AC) and later, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), before it finally fused into the APC.

Other Lagos senators – Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Ganiyu Solomon, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, Gbenga Ashafa, the late Muniru Muse, Solomon Adeola, Yeye Asiwaju Oluremi Tinubu, and the late Osinnowo were products of the progressive platform.

PDP senatorial contenders, including Tugbubo, Oyefusi, Vivour, and Abanikanda, lost their deposits. The election result was a setback to the PDP’s move to draw the curtains on its electoral misfortunes in Lagos in the last 21 years. Gbadamosi’s plan to go to the Senate before unfolding an agenda for 2023 governorship election also collapsed.

Lagos APC Publicity Secretary Seye Oladejo said the election results was a referendum on the spineless and ineffectual opposition that the PDP has been playing in Lagos for over two decades. He said the impressive performance of the ruling party in the determined implementation of its progressive policies has made PDP a taboo in Lagos State.

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said the victory showed that APC is a strong, formidable and united platform.

He stressed: “The people of Lagos State appreciate us as a party and this is evident in the landslide victory of the two candidates in the elections.”

Hailing the APC for its electoral fortunes, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila congratulated Sanwo-Olu for leading the Lagos chapter to victory.

Many actually believe that the victory was a vote of confidence on the APC administration in Lagos. They also believe that Asiwaju Tinubu had built a time-tested structure capable of withstanding political storm and stress. Besides, the party is fortified by its strong leadership and fanatical followership.

The message about the Sanwo-Olu factor is not lost on observers. The governor had hit the ground running from day one in his determination to fulfill his part of the social contract.

Sanwo-Olu evolved the ingenious THEMES agenda, which encapsulate the public yearnings and expectations about a brighter future.

The THEMES agenda is an acronym for Transportation and traffic management, Health and Enviroment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st century economy, Entertainment and Tourism, Security and Good Governance. It had remained the guiding principles of the APC government.

Oladejo described the governor as a promise keeper, noting that under him, there is no abandoned project. “The commitment to complete all inherited projects has been upheld in the successful completion of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport road and the near completion of the Agege Pen cinema fly-over.

“The commissioning of 37 newly constructed roads and 500 others rehabilitated by the Public Works  bureau are also note-worthy.

The procurement of eight boats for water transportation and the recruitment, training and deployment of 1000 officers were geared towards the improvement of public transportation,” he added.

Sanwo-Olu has also shown a commitment to construct the Fourth Mainland Bridge. A remarkable progress has been made, following the shortlisting of eight of the 30 firms that expressed interest. When it is completed, it will no doubt be the legacy project of this administration.

Sanwo-Olu has maintained regular contacts with the grassroots. He is not aloof to their yearnings and legitimate expectations for development. As characteristic of his government, the community engagement to seek support and cooperation has been sustained.

The giant strides of the Sanwo-Olu administration have made the governor a reference point in the country. His interventions  in the health sector are salutary. He has provided free treatment for thousands of beneficiaries and free surgeries for patients of pediatric, eyes, orthopedic, nose and dental ailments.

Lagosians have commended the administration for the construction of the mother and child hospitals at Igando and Eti-Osa. They constitute a boost to the health sector.

The urban renewal scheme is also on. The enviroment has improved as a result of the re-organization of the Lagos State Waste Management Agency and the operations of the Private Sector Participation in waste management. The rot inherited in the sector by his predecessor has been cleared. Indeed, the Olusosun landfill site has been expanded to 42 acre for ease of waste disposal. The education sector is being defended. There is an improved funding. A conducive learning environment is being provided for pupils. The recruitment and training of 3,000 teachers, construction of new classrooms and the provision of furniture and free meals for pupils are some of the steps taken to reposition the sector.

The state tertiary institutions are being given a facelift. The signing of agreements with private investors to construct 8,272 units of hostel is expected to enhance the status of the Lagos State University(LASU), Ojo.

The governor has also set up the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) with of $687,000 to drive the investment in research and tech-focused solutions across the six pillars of the administration’s THEMES agenda.

Sanwo-Olu will reflect in his memoir the wisdom that permitted him to curtail the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The stange pestilence brought out his inherent leadership qualities. He is a model  Incident Commander.

The provision of the requisite medical needs- isolation centres, laboratories and other incentives-set the ideal standard for government response,” said Oladejo, who added: “The various provisions of far reaching palliatives to cushion the effect of the lock-down occasioned by the pandemic, despite the fruitfulless efforts to politicize it, showed the human face of our government.”

History will also vindicate Sanwo-Olu over his handling of #EndSARS protests, which started as a legitimate demonstration, but degenerated into arson, looting, killings, maiming and destruction of public facilities, following its hijack by hoodlums.

The governor, who identified with the protesters, went to Abuja to present their demands to President Muhammadu Buhari. He was the first governor to set a judicial panel of enquiry, in a bid to chart the way forward for restitution and redress of injustice.

To Sanwo-Olu’s dismay, foes have consistently sponsored attacks against his administration in the highly uncontrolled social media, which had become a bastion of media terrorism. But, he is undeterred. The governor has not lost focus. He is conducting an inventory of the losses. He is providing support for the victims. Sanwo-Olu has also quickly set in motion the machinery for rebuilding Lagos.

As the Lagos East warmed up for the recent elections, Sanwo-Olu and APC were on the popularity scale. It was an opportunity to critically assess the performance of his administration.

Lagos East electorate were motivated to vote because of the trust they have in the state government. They were impressed by the effective service delivery and the developmental projects, including road construction, the investments that have been attracted to the district, especially the Dangote Refinery, the Eleko to Epe Round About, the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

Community leaders, who have applauded the projects, pointed out that they have generated employment opportunities for the people and changed the socio-economic landscape.