•Promises to make Lagos a 21st century success story
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, at the formal launch of his reelection campaign bid, said the success of his first term propelled his confidence to seek re-election.
The governor, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, at the unveiling of the Brand Campaign heralding the start of his 2023 official re-election campaign, amidst fanfare and a boat regatta on the lagoon, said he was determined to make the state a 21st Century success story.
With the theme of his re-election campaign tagged, ‘A Greater Lagos Rising,’ the governor said he hoped to uplift the already established development in the state.
The event, which took place in Ikeja, the state capital, had in attendance the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi; Director General of the Sanwo-Olu Campaign C Council, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon; Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Sam Egube and the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Seye Oladejo among others.
Omotoso said, “Today’s occasion is part of our plan to immerse the media and indeed Lagosians into the unique narrative that will run through this campaign from start to when we mount the victory rostrum in March 2023.”
Reeling off the governor’s achievements, the information commissioner recalled, “Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in China in January 2020, Lagos recorded the index case of the dreaded virus on 27th of February 2020. Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, in a rare display of bravery and courageous leadership in adversity, assumed the role of the incident commander.
“With Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, his deputy, he rallied the best brains of the Nigerian health sector to confront the dangers the pandemic posed to millions of Lagosians. In no time, Lagos indeed became a global example for the medical world on how to fight the pandemic. As the pandemic was on, the tragic episode of #ENDSARS came.
“Taking advantage of the restraint the protest had brought on the law enforcement agents, okada and tricycle operators became laws onto themselves, riding mindlessly against the traffic, with consequential killing and maiming of innocent citizens. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu again rose to the challenge and extended the ban on Okada and Tricycles to more local government council areas.
“As each of these challenges attempted to bring Lagos State on her knees, like a tested general in a war with fierce and phased battles, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu tapped into the indomitable spirit of Lagos.
“He reminded us of the capability of the human spirit to rise and triumph over every adversity. Rather than these challenges causing the sprawling Mega City to lie prostrate on her belly, we see the evidential signs of a city rising with best-in-class infrastructure from the ashes of her yesterday just like the proverbial phoenix.
“Even where dilapidated infrastructure once stood as public schools or health facilities, we see new ones rising. While the financial storms are raging elsewhere, hey, it is sunny in Lagos. What do we see? We see the finances of Lagos rising to enable the government to embark on landmark projects such as the Blue and Red Rail Projects, which are the first by any sub-national in our clime.
“Abundant evidence of a new city rising from the womb of time. We do not make a false claim of having reached the zenith of our journey. Our contextual usage of the word is as an adjective that suggests an upward swing, an increase and an upward movement. These are the signs Lagosians can see all around the state.”
He reiterated that, “We are drawing the attention of citizens to the positive changes taking place all over Lagos. We are making an affirmative statement about the growth of our economy, the breathtaking rebuilding of Lagos and the fresh hope of citizens following the reopening of the economy after Covid-19. A new chapter in the development of our state just flipped open before our very eyes.”
Earlier, Solomon said the governor made promises four years ago under the THEMES agenda, saying, “Every aspect of the agenda touched and doing impeccably well,” noting that, despite the challenges faced by his administration, Sanwo-Olu performed creditably well.
