The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been a very busy man lately. He has been combing the length and breadth of Lagos trying to see that he puts everything in place to ensure he gets a second term victory at the governorship election coming up on March 18th, 2023. He has had to double up on his last minute campaign before the election, owing to the shock result of the APC losing Lagos to the Labour Party at the last presidential election a couple of weeks back. Governor Sanwo-Olu and the APC need no soothsayer to warn them that if they do not step up their game, then they could just be in for the greatest shock of their lives.
Governor Sanwo-Olu has been going round engaging the electorates and trying to market his administration to them. He has met with several party leaders and community heads in different parts of Lagos. There have been so many intra party conflicts in the APC that led to many of the members boycottiing the last presidential election. They were aggrieved. They were displeased with the party. But Governor Sanwo-Olu has been able to solve many if not all of these crises.
He has also been speaking with many of the traditional rulers. These traditional rulers and community heads play an integral role in grassroot politics. Politicians don’t joke with them. They need them to help the party rally their people and tell them the direction the entire community is going in terms of which political party they are going to vote massively for. These traditional rulers and community heads also come in very handy at a time like this that the party is trying to pacify the youths and win them over from the Obidient gang of Peter Obi.
Another group of Lagosians the governor has had to speak with are the Lagos Civil Servants. The civil service in Lagos is massive in terms of size and population. Many believe that if the entire members of the Lagos Civil Service alone file out enmasse to vote for Governor Sanwo-Olu this Saturday, their number is enough to sway the results in the way of the amiable governor. Investigation by the party revealed many civil servants failed to vote at the last presidential election. They simply stayed indoors and tossed their PVCs away somewhere in their rooms. The low turn outs greatly affected APC and they do not want a repeat of that to happen during the governorship election. This is why the governor has been going round talking to various groups of professionals. And from what we heard, the different engagements he had with the civil servants were extremely successful. They were ecstatic to have the governor talking to them and have assured him of their full support come March 18th when the governorship election will hold.
One of the things the governor has also done is to pay up about N1.2 Billion pension money owed retirees of the civil service. This development sent the entire pensions community in Lagos in wild jubilation when the news broke. The government, obviously already had plans underway to make the payment possible, but luckily for the governor, the money was made available at a crucial time close to the election. Just as the senior citizens of the state are happy, the governor too would be glad this is happening at a time wjhen he needs their support. And it will surely count for something if a large percentage of the pensioners turn out for Governor Sanwo-Olu on election day.
Not resting on his oars. Governor Sanwo-Olu also has done something that many have found very impressive. He has been visiting various Igbo groups in Lagos. He has been talking to them and trying to market his government and the party to them. The hostilities between the Igbos and Yoruba in Lagos have reached a frigtening level. The Yorubas are angry with the Igbos for trying to vote APC out of power in Lagos and for claiming that Lagos is no man’s land. And if what they did at the last presidential election is anything to go by, then they can very well vote Governor Sanwo-Olu out of power and put in office their own Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour. The governor has assured them that they are safe in Lagos and that nothing will happen to their investments in Lagos. They were obviously humbled by the Governor’s thoughtfulness to reach out to them. They, in turn, have promised to support him as well.
The governor also visited markets that are dominated predominantly by Igbos such as Alaba International market, Computer Village, Ikeja and the ASPMDA Trade Fair in Lagos. Many of the Igbo traders were highly elated to find Governor Sanwo-Olu in their midst. They were impressed by his humility. Considering the no love lost situation between Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos, it surprised them that he could still find it necessary to come down to speak to them. While many of the traders would likely still stick to voting for the Labour Party, but at least a small chunk of them must’ve realised that the governor or the party that they thought had sinister plans for them after the election, really has nothing like that in his mind. And that could go a long way in quelling the animosity between the two tribes.
The one great thing Governor Sanwo-Olu has done to increase his chances of winning the governorship election is the release of all impounded vehicles seized by the various traffic agencies across the state. The news spread like wild fire that Lagos state government was releasing all impounded vehicles for free. Many couldn’t believe it. Some of them had had their cars seized from them and confined within the walls of the agency for several weeks. Their joy knew no bound when they returned home with their vehicles. Many of them were thankful to God and grateful to Governor Sanwo-Olu for the leniency.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigerias Lagos chapter. He spoke with them on the need for the association to support him during and after the electionsa. He was warmly received. The acrimony raised by the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket appears to have finally dissipated as they also gave him their word they will support him. He also visited Muslim groups despite not being a Muslim.
He also paid a surprise visit to Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministries. It was at the Power Must Change Hands Service held at the church headquarters at Onike, Yaba. The entire auditorium erupted in wild jubilation as he stepped out to acknowledge the congregation. Not many know that Governor Sanwo-Olu is a member of MFM. And though there was no such thing as a campaign inside the church audiitorium, everybody knew why he was there. And from the warm reception they gave him, he will certainlyu get their support. He also visited a couple of churches too apart from MFM.
Observers say there is no way that these additional last minute efforts by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will not count for something. They will surely yield dividends. He has worked really hard, hopefully, by the 18th of March, he will be able to garner enough votes to keep both Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party and Jandor of the PDP quiet for the next four years.
-WALE LAWAL
(08037209290)
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