Generational shift, inclusiveness, will inspire a new SDP in Lagos ― Chairman

THE newly appointed acting Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State, Honourable Olufemi Olaniyi, popularly known as Ferrari, has assured party members in the state that his administration would enshrine generational change and inclusiveness policies in the operations of the SDP under his watch.

He said this would usher in a new generation of politicians who would see politics as a call to service as against the self- serving attitude of the present crop of leaders.

In a statement he personally signed, a copy of which was made available to the Tribune Online on Sunday, the chairman said he was committed to the people and their freedom.

According to him, “I am ready to help change the face of politics to engender a generational change and people’s inclusiveness in political participation and decision making.

“If we want to change the way politics is played in Nigeria, we must ensure that the people are the centre-piece of our activities, we must ensure the voice of the people are heard and their interest and welfare are uppermost in our dealings. This is the only way we can give power back to the people,” he stated.

Speaking on what went wrong that brought the SDP to the very low ebb it has found itself in Lagos State, Honourable Olaniyi said: “You will recall that every political party has lost its generations. Some were stolen, some by lackadaisical attitude, some by incompetence and some by ruthless dictatorship.

“Our party, the SDP must not be allowed to degenerate beyond this level. Apart from fixing what needs to be fixed, power must devolve and focus more on the youth and the critical mass of the people who are affected by what is happening in society. There is a need for a paradigm shift to allow a new generation of leaders to emerge in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.

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“Our party in Lagos is standing in a sorry state of affairs. The challenge perhaps being of lack of will, courage to unite, commitment and resolve to reform and build on our principles of progressiveness and, the ideology of social democracy,” he added.

Speaking on what the people should expect from the new leadership of the party in Lagos State, the chairman said, “we are the new face of Lagos SDP aiming to have less of a margin to get it wrong, and assuring all our leaders under the dedicated and inspired leadership of Professor Tunde Adeniran and Alhaji Shehu Gabam, the national secretary, we are going to do it differently and get it right.

“What we have today is no more the question of choice, but the question of will and courage. That is the void we have come to fill.

“In the interest of our party and Nigeria in the spirit and remembrance of our departed martyrs, let today be the start of something new, inspiring and sustainable. Let us drill and grill the lead.”

He, therefore, called on Nigerians, especially Muslim faithful in the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir to pray for Nigeria and all the gallant troops who were putting down their lives in the protection and security of the people in the war fronts.

He urged the leaders to unite with a sense of purpose such that would ensure national unity and progress.