Saturday Tribune combed the streets of Lagos State to feel the pulse of the populace about the fate awaiting Governor Akinwunmi Ambode today.
GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode’s present travails at the hands of the powers that be in the state, no doubt, have thrown up some emotions among Lagosians. Getting them to talk about the number one citizen of the state was like asking a mother to speak on an ailing child whose predicament has defied every form of medical intervention; definitely not without a teary face.
Some wonder how a governor universally regarded as “high performing” not too long ago could suddenly fall into the black books of the power brokers in the state. Although not without his own ‘blunders’, especially in the areas of waste management and the recently-released anti-people Land Use rates, Lagosians have continued to weigh his performance in office in the last three and a half years against his unforced errors. Ambode, some pleaded, should be spared the hammer to enable him, at least, complete some of the projects he has embarked on, others are saying someone better should just take his place.
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Methodist Prelate speaks
The Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Reverend Chukwuemeka Samuel Uche, is of the opinion that the governor should be pardoned for whatever errors he committed and allowed to have a second term.
“[Senator Bola] Tinubu [national leader of the All Progressives Congress] should forgive Ambode and allow him to contest for second term in office. Ambode’s administration has done well. He should be allowed to re-contest by his party, considering that he has garnered governance experience in the last three and a half years. He deserves it instead of the party bringing in a new candidate. He should be allowed to do his second term.
“If Ambode is being denied a second term ticket because of lack of consultation and not carrying party members along, I will ask him to apologise to them and promise, maybe in black and white, that he is ready to be consulting with them – I mean, party leaders. But if he is being denied the second-term ticket because he refused to compromise and engage in illegal and corrupt practices, I will ask him not to apologise to anybody but keep doing the right thing which is acceptable before God. If what he is doing is the right thing, let him continue to do it, because this is what will be of benefit to Lagosians,” Reverend Uche said.
…Traders, drivers, too
Ambode may have got his fingers burnt through the alleged shabby manner he treated the party members after they assisted him to win the election in 2015. The majority of the party members accused the governor of arrogance, saying this was payback time for him.
Saturday Tribune went round to sample people’s opinions about the chances of Ambode being re-elected next year. From interactions with traders at Egbeda Market and residents around Bammeke, their feelings were different from that of last dispensation when a similar problem occurred between former Governor Babatunde Fashola and Tinubu, with many of them stood up for Fashola for “his good works and interactions with his party members and ordinary Lagosians,” which eventually worked for him.
All these, according to them, are missing in the case of Ambode. When asked about his feelings about Ambode being re-elected, Baba Egba, a popular okada rider in Egbeda, responded in the negative. To him, it will be difficult for Ambode to have the support of okada riders and commercial bus operators on the grounds of his alleged failure to upgrade most of the roads in Egbeda.
To many residents around Bammeke, Ambode does not deserve to return because he abandoned all their pleas to upgrade the roads which they said had made movement and business almost impossible.
Most commercial bus operators who were approached for comments lamented the hardship brought upon them by the constructions going on on Agege Motor roads which, they said, had made vehicular movement terrible for them and Lagosians.
According to a driver, Ejike, who plies the Egbeda-Oshodi route, unlike before, when he used to make between 10 and 12 round trips daily, with the total lockdown of the road in the name of construction under Ambode, he now hardly made up to seven trips.
Mrs Yinka Adesanmi, who works in Apapa but lives in Bammeke, also has a story to tell following the non-inclusion of the roads in Bammeke among those Ambode had upgraded. According to her, Ambode treated the people living in the area as non-Lagosians, therefore, this is payback time and there is no reason he should expect their support.
Rector, Shipping Institute, ticks Ambode
The Rector of the Chartered Institute of Shipping (CIS), Dr Alex Okwuashi, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the governorship election in the state if the incumbent governor, Ambode, was eventually denied a second-term ticket by his party “for some spurious and unclear reasons.”
Speaking to Saturday Tribune, Okwuashi said, “I am from Delta State but I am also a Lagosian, having lived, worked and paid my taxes in Lagos State for over 20 years. I have a stake in Lagos as do many other Nigerians.
“The fate of Lagos is too much to be left in the hands of Lagos APC, council chairmen or indigenes of Lagos for that matter. It is also too much to be entrusted to a few entrenched interests. Lagos is a microcosm of Nigeria. What is playing out in the politics of Lagos at the moment is of immense concern to all of us. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is being presently persecuted, in a manner of speaking, for some spurious and unclear reasons.
“It seems the reason for his ordeal has nothing whatsoever to do with the interest of the people or his performance as governor which, in my opinion, is far above average. What then is the real reason behind the ongoing moves to deny him a second-term ticket? It has more, in my opinion, to do with protection of entrenched interests under the guise of ‘continuity’ of the Lagos development master plan.
“Though there is room for improvement, the truth is, Ambode has not fared badly as governor. He is the number one governor in Nigeria. All men of good conscience should rally round him at this trying time. He deserves to be given a second term.
“And for all those of you fellow Buharists siding with his traducers, I commend you to have a rethink. You cannot be siding with [President Muhammadu] Buhari in his bid to dismantle entrenched interests in the political economy of Nigeria and at the same supporting those fighting Ambode in his effort to dismantle the self-same interests in Lagos State. It smacks of hypocrisy.
“No doubt, Ambode has his shortcomings, as do all men and women, but nothing that is so bad that cannot be corrected. The governor himself has shown enough remorse and willingness to make amends. So, let us give him benefit of the doubt. If Ambode is denied a second-term in office by party godfatherism, then APC can as well forget about winning the elections, because PDP will win. I hope reason prevails and he gets his deserved second term. I stand with Ambode.”
Seems like end of the road —Pupil lawyer
For Adeniyi Aderinsola, Ambode would be wasting time seeking the governorship on another platform. The new lawyer said, “Yes, I am aware of the move to stop the governor. I feel Ambode should know better since he did not secure the position of governor by his ingenuity alone, but rather his party structure created the platform and brought him to limelight thus paving the way to secure the highly coveted seat of the governor of Lagos State.
“No, he shouldn’t defect. Truth be told, the way politics works in Lagos, one has to be honest with oneself. In this case, the main opposition party too has a time-tested and strong candidate in person of Jimi Agbaje. Even [Femi] Otedola is running on the same platform. I think Ambode’s best political move should be to seek another elective post.
“I would say Ambode has tried, although I have my reservations in some areas, especially as they relate to continuity regarding some of his predecessor’s projects. Ambode, in my opinion, would best be remembered for his massive road network projects.
“I don’t really think I would miss him, because government is a continuum, just do your own part to the best of the resources you have and bow out honourably. I have always admired Mr Jimi Agbaje. He is not a neophyte in Lagos politics, although I would have preferred him in the ruling party, the APC, and not on the side of the opposition. But as it stands, I am closely watching and yet to hear the plans from other aspirants so as to make an informed decision.”
Not feeling good about gov’s ordeal —Corps member
A corps member serving in Lagos, Ayobami Adeleye, could not hide her displeasure with what is happening to her darling governor.
“I am aware of what is happening to the governor. I don’t feel good about it at all, but he shouldn’t go to another party to contest. He should rather make peace with his party.
He has really tried and we would remember him particularly in Ajah/Epe for the reconstruction of roads and the Golden Jubilee Bridge. I will miss him, he has created so many avenues for youth development especially, through job placements like the N Power Scheme.
I still want Ambode, he is conscious, vibrant and reliable. That is my ideal governor.”
Dazed to see Nigeria’s best governor going down —Unemployed graduate
Dayo Ogunmolaji, a graduate of Geo-Science from the University of Lagos, could not believe his best governor in Nigeria was about going down.
“I must confess that I am in a daze because no one was expecting that a governor who has been voted the best performing governor in the country would be treated the way his party is currently treating him, just because he has failed to satisfy the insatiable appetite of party members.
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“I believe he should pursue his political ambition on an alternative platform. As it stands, PDP and [the African Democratic Congress] ADC are already lobbying to have him fly their flags during the coming election. Ambode should not be cowed. And yes, I will vote for him, just like many other voters in Lagos will, so he can complete his groundbreaking infrastructural development across the state.
“Even a newly born knows that Ambode has tried. Other governors use Lagos as a benchmark for development. The only policy he got wrong is waste management, which has made Lagos streets dirtier than they used to be. But imperfection has always been sown into the fabric of men. I am sure he has learnt from his mistakes. Ambode will be remembered for his notable work in the area of infrastructural development. It is too obvious not to be unnoticed. There are massive projects going on in every part of the state.
“I don’t see any other person coming on board right now. Ambode should be given the chance to do a second term. My dream Lagos State is that of a true mega city, not the one on paper. A mega city with truly affordable housing scheme; an integrated transport system, where the waterways and rails are fully utilised; 24-hour power supply; genuine empowerment programmes for youths; zero interest rate loan scheme for young entrepreneurs; a revamped educational system; a truly independent Lagos free from the claws of god-fatherism; a Lagos free from touts at every bus stop harassing commercial bus drivers/okada riders; a Lagos that will be a true definition of ‘Centre of Excellence.’”
Too bad if denied —Artisan
An artisan, Alhaji Mokan Kareem, stated that it would be too bad if the governor was eventually not allowed a second term to “finish the good works” he had been doing in the last three years.
Alhaji Kareem, a fashion designer, who lives in Aboru in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state, argued that no government in the state had formulated such people-oriented policies as the incumbent governor.
“For instance, look at the way he transformed Aboru, Abule Egba and even Command area, all in Agbado Oke Odo. These are areas previous governments in the state had snubbed. Nobody believed those areas would experience facilities such as good road network, streetlight and health centres until the advent of Governor Ambode’s administration. Honestly, if he is not allowed to run, what it simply means is that the ordinary man on the street has once again been shortchanged,” he argued.
He should be forgiven —Civil servant
In a rather emotional tone, a civil servant in the state, who did not want his name mentioned, argued that although the incumbent governor committed what he termed “some blunders” in the course of carrying out his duties, he felt that should not be enough to deny him a second term ticket.
“For instance, one of those things that really whittled down the governor’s clout and influence remains his decision to do away with the PSP operators who had, in the past few years, been able to keep the city streets clean of dirt. He should have known that if you are changing a winning team, you should be ready to replace such team with far better alternatives, not those that would bring back the dirty past of the state. Whatever happens, I still believe that to err is human and to forgive, divine. I would, therefore, plead that the man be given a second chance. I really feel for him. Honestly, I will like to see him do a second term,” the civil servant said.
He isn’t messiah but… —Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur, Mariochukwu Tataobuzo, said although she had no preference for any political party, Ambode should be allowed to run for a second term so as to continue with his administration’s social infrastructure provision. This was just as she cited some lapses in the way the administration had been going about delivering dividends of democracy which, she said, had caused nightmares for a lot of Lagosians.
“I am not saying Ambode is the messiah that will take Lagos State to the Promised Land but he is trying and he has the potential to do better if given the chance to continue. With the little he has done so far, he will be remembered for building bridges, especially pedestrian bridges. It is like his administration has a special preference for construction of bridges even where none is necessary and people are hungry and have no stamina to climb those bridges.
“Apart from that, opening up many places at the same time in the name of road construction networks and abandoning them halfway is not only anti-people but also counter-productive. That is the case of many roads in Ijaiye-Ojokoro area where I live. Those of us living around Jankara Power Line axis are going through hell everyday to connect the expressway,” she said.
But despite all these, Mrs Tataobuzo declared: “I will vote for him if he should be given the APC ticket for the next election.”
I will vote candidate who will remove agbero —Okada rider
An okada rider, who gave his name simply as Linus and claimed to be a father of five, also endorsed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for another term, saying that the governor had not done badly so far.
“His administration has some legacies already. The Abule-Egba flyover is a good example from Ifako-Ijaiye axis and if he should have another four years, he will definitely complete most of the road projects at hand. And I don’t see why he shouldn’t be given another chance just like his predecessors,” he said. Baba Lateef Jankande was in his second term when the military seized power in 1983. If not for that, he would have done two terms. Bola Tinubu did two terms and so did Babatunde Fashola,” Linus recalled, querying: “So, why should Ambode not do same?”
“Nevertheless, any Lagos governor that truly wants to win the hearts of the masses will remove the motor park touts from the roads and streets. They constitute a nuisance to the society and a responsible government would take action to cage them. After all, the law of the state does not permit their unguided operations but the implementation is the problem. Agberos are the ones we okada riders and commercial bus drivers are working for, because they make all the money we are supposed to make without buying tyre, fuel or go to mechanics for repairs.
“Before now, it was only when you pick passengers that you pay money, but now whether you pick or not, it doesn’t concern them. So, let them also go and do legitimate work and see how difficult it is to make legitimate money in Lagos. So, if Ambode can’t do that, he should just forget about his second term ambition, because somebody like me will vote for any candidate that has the agenda to push agberos out of the system, irrespective of the party he belongs.”
Governor too elitist —Businessman
On his part, another respondent, Mr Akinlabi Simeon, a businessman, accused Governor Ambode of being elitist in his policies and a person like that could not last long in a position of power not only in Lagos but anywhere in Nigeria. He pointed out that it was a big minus for his administration for the city of Lagos to be dirtier now than the way he met it over three years ago. According to him, there is refuse littering every corner of Lagos, including marketplaces where raw foods are being sold.
“Does his administration need to wait for cholera to break out and people to start dying before taking action to prevent such an occurrence? Anyway, that is our nature in Nigeria. We prefer taking medicine after death and not taking medicine to prevent death. I am not also keen about the various constructions going on in the state. Empowerment is the key. Let people get something reasonable doing first and be able to feed their families. You can then talk about the infrastructural facilities to enhance people’s conditions of living.
“All the same, I want to believe that not giving automatic ticket to him for second term will make him sit tight and do something more tangible for the people of Lagos should he be given ticket for a second term. But if I were him and was not given the ticket, I would not bother to defect to another party; I would remain in the APC and resign to fate. I won’t see the matter as a do-or-die affair. After my tenure, I would go home. That is what I would have wanted him to do,” Simeon said.
‘We want governor from another party’
The view of Messrs Yusuf Kareem and Sunday Oluwole, both in their 40s, is somehow different from others.
According to the duo, Lagos State is not meant for one party and, therefore, they would prefer another party to produce the next governor. They argued that the manner Senator Tinubu sees himself as the sole determinant of who comes to power as the governor or a lawmaker was not in masses’ interest. But while Kareem prefers the person of Jimi Agbaje to be the next Lagos State governor under the PDP, Oluwole wants somebody outside of both the APC and the PDP to emerge.
According to the latter, the same people from both parties have been ruling the state in the last 20 years and it is time for a change.
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Ambode better than Tinubu, Fashola —Barber
Speaking to Saturday Tribune, Infinity Olamide, said he hated politics but quickly recalled that what is currently happening was much similar to a situation faced by former Governor Fashola, now the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, when he was about to contest for a second term in office.
He said Fashola eventually picked then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ticket in spite of efforts to deny him the ticket. According to Olamide, who runs a barbershop along Ketu-Ikosi Road, Ambode will still pick the APC ticket as his current travail is a tradition that has come to characterise the party, regardless of name change. What is happening is not new here in Lagos. It happened to Fashola when he was to go for second term as governor. He was initially denied the party’s ticket by Asiwaju but in the end, the problem between them was solved and he got the ticket to contest for second term,” he said.
Olamide commended Governor Ambode for performing beyond his predecessors, including Tinubu and Fashola, saying he should be allowed to pick the APC ticket to contest for second term, noting that Tinubu started the foundation-laying of modern Lagos.
“Ambode has boosted development of Lagos far more than what his predecessors put in place. Fashola tried his best and Asiwaju [Tinubu] was one who started it all, but Ambode has surpassed all and should be given the APC ticket to allow him come back,” Olamide said.
He, however, said Ambode should look for another political platform if his party insisted he should not contest in the 2019 election. “He [Ambode] should go for the PDP ticket and contest the election if he is denied the APC ticket,” Olamide said.
APC will still go for him —Shoe seller
A shoe seller plying his trade along Ikosi-Ketu Road, who craved anonymity, also likened the trouble being faced by Governor Ambode to Fashola’s experience, saying that the matter would soon be resolved in favour of Ambode. “What has not happened in the state before? Fashola also had the same problem before the matter was finally resolved in his favour, so I guess Ambode would eventually pick the APC ticket. That is my take,” he said.
Let there be change in Alausa —Danfo driver
A Danfo driver, Silas Ilochina, said: “I love what is happening. I don’t want Ambode to come back. Look at it: from Secretariat, where we are coming from, to Ojota, there is no bus stop. Even where I just dropped passengers at 7Up, there is no bus stop there, you can imagine that. They are claiming that there is no bus stop there and yet they have Lagos State receipt which they give out for payment at every one of these stops. At this bus stop at Ojota, they always come to block us, I mean, government officials, seize our vehicles and drive them away only for us to be asked to pay through the nose to secure their release.
“Look at this Tipper Garage, look at the structure they are building there, they have driven those people away. Do they want them to be stealing, robbing people? What do they want them to be doing? You see, I don’t want Ambode to come back because if does in 2019, he would cancel this motor park (Ojota) and chase us away. So, I don’t want him to come back.”
Asked of the chances of the governor if he defected to another party to contest the 2019 poll, Silas said what he wanted in Lagos was a complete change whereby another party would take over. No single party had been able to dominate for too long in the eastern part of the country where he hailed from.
“What I want in Lagos is a complete change. I want another party to win Lagos in 2019. That is what I want to happen here in Lagos. Where I come from, in the East, one single party can’t claim to have ruled the state for too long. I want complete change in Lagos. Let’s try another party for a change,” he said.
We are ready —Police, INEC
Despite the Ambode saga, two bodies crucial to next weekend’s primary to determine whether the governor will continue in office or not expressed their readiness to Saturday Tribune.
The image maker of the state police command, Chike Oti, said the police would provide adequate security. He added that the police were planning not just for the primary but also for campaigns and rallies by all the political parties in the state.
Oti, however, pointed out that the political parties should notify the state police command of their primaries and rallies ahead of time for the police to put adequate logistics in place.
“We are fully prepared for the primaries and even political rallies once we are notified by the political parties. We will ensure adequate security at the venues of the primaries and rallies. Recently, we issued a press statement where the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, assured every political party in the state of adequate security during their rallies and primaries at no cost. It is just for the political parties to notify us ahead of time so as to put the adequate logistics in place for the primaries and the rallies,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer of INEC, Lagos Office, Femi Akinbiyi, simply told Saturday Tribune: “We have enough manpower to cover the primaries” when he was reminded of the huge number of personnel required for monitoring the novel exercise which is to be conducted in all the 245 wards in the state.
Reports by Bola Badmus, Shola Adekola, Akin Adewakun, Tunbosun Ogundare, Tola Adenubu, Sylvester Okoruwa and Segun Kasali.