MOST times people forget this little aphorism, “when you point an accusing finger at your neighbor in judgment/condemnation four from the very hand you pointed are directly accusing you that you are no better.” Similarly the Holy Bible admonishes us that before we attempt to take a spec from a neighbor’s eyes, we must not forget first to remove the log in our own eyes.

This is the case of Governor Babatunde Fashola.

In his usual derogatory reference to Mr. President, Fashola said: “The election of a university graduate as president has not helped to develop the country in the past three years.” Similarly, the imposition of a SAN on Lagosians for the past seven years has not developed Lagos State.

Having said that Mr. Governor, there are no bases to compare your selective maintenance of already developed infrastructures in parts of Lagos State for seven years to Mr. President’s enormous transformation of the entire nation in all sectors during the said three years.

We have on several occasions been persuaded not to write anything about you, Mr. Governor, but this time we couldn’t hold back any further. You have actually for long overstepped your boundaries, especially when you started joining issues with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, attacking the person and office of the President as though you are equals. And all these times we just wondered, the same Fashola who cannot take charge of the affairs of his own state as governor as a puppet of Tinubu, who melts at the mere mention of the Asiwaju, talks with reckless abandon to the President of the giant of Africa.

Just a few days ago shortly after the announcement of the winner of the Osun State governorship election, Fashola and his boss cum godfather Tinubu were quoted in The Nation newspaper of Monday August 11, 2014 calling Mr. President a gangster. But who are truly the rascals, fathers of agberos, usurpers? These two (father and son) among others have continued without caution to make derogatory comments and statements on the person of Mr. President in the guise of opposition because nobody has come to challenge them. How would you feel as a father when your own children insult you?

Now talking about development, there is absolutely no state of the federation that has not felt the impact of Mr. President including the so-called opposition states which Fashola claims are performing better than the PDP-controlled ones. In your Lagos State Mr. Governor, federal touch is evident for all to see even if you pretend not see it for selfish blind political reasons. From Sokoto to Rivers, from Bornu to Lagos, Mr. President’s work is evident. Pictures don’t lie as they say. If the governor is still doubtful of Mr. President’s good work in the past three years then let him take time off and tour the nation and see for himself or better still get in touch with the Transformation Agenda of Nigeria (TAN) team and he will marvel at what Mr. President has put on ground.

Unlike you Mr. Governor whose development is selective, you maintain those areas where you are likely to settle down after your eight years in office and the areas your boss resides. Mention how many places outside the Island and the main land that you did very constructive work? Do you call reorganizing your area boys in Oshodi as part of development? Should development just mean reconstructing existing roads and building recreational facilities for touts in those crime- ridden areas? How many of the roads you constructed since you became governor are still in very good condition except the ones constructed on which you and your boss are collecting tolls? Enter inside Lagos and see the suffering of the people, from Orile to Okomaiko, Ojo, FESTAC, Satellite town and environs, Alimosho, Egbeda, Ikotun, Igando, Agbado, Ikorodu, Agege to mention but a few, whom you subject to all forms of levies and from whom you get the majority of the work force in the state. Mr. Governor, visit these areas and see if you have the moral right to talk to Mr. President as your equal.

Compared to what you obtain from the people in the form of levies, using the councils, the state and your area boys, you will agree with us that you have done nothing. Everybody that sells in Lagos State no matter what product, even the pure water hawkers, pays one levy or the other. Oga governor you make more money collecting all these your revenues and levies than states that get derivations. And what do the people get, bad roads, bolehole water, well water, salt water and others.

Between you and Mr. President who is telling lies about the Chibok girls, an opposition stage-managed adoption meant to blackmail him to gain unearned and cheap popularity that never lasted. Don’t deceive yourself Mr. Governor, the people are wiser now and can no longer be misled. You don’t need to urge Nigerians to vote out anybody. Present a better manifesto and a credible character among your lot to challenge PDP/Mr President. Are you scared of his scorecard? Is that why you guys have resorted to cheap blackmail? How is it that a party that wants to take over power has nothing to offer than senseless criticism and condemnation? Your lack of vision has been the bane of all the challenges confronting your so-called performing states such that the governors are at loggerheads with the people. Ask Edo and Ekiti state governors.

Mr. Governor, if nobody will tell you, we dare say that you and your predecessor have continued to run Lagos as if you are running your personal businesses. You have under-developed Lagos State by your selfish interest. You make stupid laws to make money, you and your boss tax the people, collecting different forms of revenues from them yet nothing to show for it. Why did you stop more depots from coming up in Ijegun waterside? A boss has his own and if you and your friend must have yours as alleged, why stop others? Selfishness and greed!

Mr. Governor haven’t you heard that those who sleep in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones? You do not only sleep in a glass house, you live in it yet you go about throwing stones. How do you feel being hit by the same stone you sent out?

Leave Mr. President to continue with his nation building; he doesn’t need distraction, like the type you are making up while you also think of a better way to salvage the mess you have created by your selfish policies.

Nigerians know who they want in 2015; let them decide. Your party should present candidates and stop all the insults in the name of oppositional criticism. Nigerians deserve nothing short of peace and progress. Let’s live together maturely. You don’t have a better solution to the problems of Nigeria than Mr. President. If you and your party can’t manage the few states you have peacefully, then it’s obvious you can’t handle a larger Nigeria. We don’t need selfish leaders anymore in Nigeria. We need selfless and servant leaders like President Goodluck Jonathan.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

• Ugbovoro and Izomor are National Coordinator and National Secretary, Movement for Democratic Principles and Enforcement).

activatenigeria: MOST times people forget this little aphorism, “when you point an accusing finger at your neighbor in judgment/condemnation four from the very hand you pointed are directly accusing you that you are no better.” Similarly the Holy Bible admonishes us that before we attempt to take a spec from a neighbor’s eyes, we must not forget first to remove the log in our own eyes.
This is the case of Governor Babatunde Fashola.
In his usual derogatory reference to Mr. President, Fashola said: “The election of a university graduate as president has not helped to develop the country in the past three years.” Similarly, the imposition of a SAN on Lagosians for the past seven years has not developed Lagos State.
Having said that Mr. Governor, there are no bases to compare your selective maintenance of already developed infrastructures in parts of Lagos State for seven years to Mr. President’s enormous transformation of the entire nation in all sectors during the said three years.
We have on several occasions been persuaded not to write anything about you, Mr. Governor, but this time we couldn’t hold back any further. You have actually for long overstepped your boundaries, especially when you started joining issues with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, attacking the person and office of the President as though you are equals. And all these times we just wondered, the same Fashola who cannot take charge of the affairs of his own state as governor as a puppet of Tinubu, who melts at the mere mention of the Asiwaju, talks with reckless abandon to the President of the giant of Africa.
Just a few days ago shortly after the announcement of the winner of the Osun State governorship election, Fashola and his boss cum godfather Tinubu were quoted in The Nation newspaper of Monday August 11, 2014 calling Mr. President a gangster. But who are truly the rascals, fathers of agberos, usurpers? These two (father and son) among others have continued without caution to make derogatory comments and statements on the person of Mr. President in the guise of opposition because nobody has come to challenge them. How would you feel as a father when your own children insult you?
Now talking about development, there is absolutely no state of the federation that has not felt the impact of Mr. President including the so-called opposition states which Fashola claims are performing better than the PDP-controlled ones. In your Lagos State Mr. Governor, federal touch is evident for all to see even if you pretend not see it for selfish blind political reasons. From Sokoto to Rivers, from Bornu to Lagos, Mr. President’s work is evident. Pictures don’t lie as they say. If the governor is still doubtful of Mr. President’s good work in the past three years then let him take time off and tour the nation and see for himself or better still get in touch with the Transformation Agenda of Nigeria (TAN) team and he will marvel at what Mr. President has put on ground.
Unlike you Mr. Governor whose development is selective, you maintain those areas where you are likely to settle down after your eight years in office and the areas your boss resides. Mention how many places outside the Island and the main land that you did very constructive work? Do you call reorganizing your area boys in Oshodi as part of development? Should development just mean reconstructing existing roads and building recreational facilities for touts in those crime- ridden areas? How many of the roads you constructed since you became governor are still in very good condition except the ones constructed on which you and your boss are collecting tolls? Enter inside Lagos and see the suffering of the people, from Orile to Okomaiko, Ojo, FESTAC, Satellite town and environs, Alimosho, Egbeda, Ikotun, Igando, Agbado, Ikorodu, Agege to mention but a few, whom you subject to all forms of levies and from whom you get the majority of the work force in the state. Mr. Governor, visit these areas and see if you have the moral right to talk to Mr. President as your equal.
Compared to what you obtain from the people in the form of levies, using the councils, the state and your area boys, you will agree with us that you have done nothing. Everybody that sells in Lagos State no matter what product, even the pure water hawkers, pays one levy or the other. Oga governor you make more money collecting all these your revenues and levies than states that get derivations. And what do the people get, bad roads, bolehole water, well water, salt water and others.
Between you and Mr. President who is telling lies about the Chibok girls, an opposition stage-managed adoption meant to blackmail him to gain unearned and cheap popularity that never lasted. Don’t deceive yourself Mr. Governor, the people are wiser now and can no longer be misled. You don’t need to urge Nigerians to vote out anybody. Present a better manifesto and a credible character among your lot to challenge PDP/Mr President. Are you scared of his scorecard? Is that why you guys have resorted to cheap blackmail? How is it that a party that wants to take over power has nothing to offer than senseless criticism and condemnation? Your lack of vision has been the bane of all the challenges confronting your so-called performing states such that the governors are at loggerheads with the people. Ask Edo and Ekiti state governors.
Mr. Governor, if nobody will tell you, we dare say that you and your predecessor have continued to run Lagos as if you are running your personal businesses. You have under-developed Lagos State by your selfish interest. You make stupid laws to make money, you and your boss tax the people, collecting different forms of revenues from them yet nothing to show for it. Why did you stop more depots from coming up in Ijegun waterside? A boss has his own and if you and your friend must have yours as alleged, why stop others? Selfishness and greed!
Mr. Governor haven’t you heard that those who sleep in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones? You do not only sleep in a glass house, you live in it yet you go about throwing stones. How do you feel being hit by the same stone you sent out?
Leave Mr. President to continue with his nation building; he doesn’t need distraction, like the type you are making up while you also think of a better way to salvage the mess you have created by your selfish policies.
Nigerians know who they want in 2015; let them decide. Your party should present candidates and stop all the insults in the name of oppositional criticism. Nigerians deserve nothing short of peace and progress. Let’s live together maturely. You don’t have a better solution to the problems of Nigeria than Mr. President. If you and your party can’t manage the few states you have peacefully, then it’s obvious you can’t handle a larger Nigeria. We don’t need selfish leaders anymore in Nigeria. We need selfless and servant leaders like President Goodluck Jonathan.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
• Ugbovoro and Izomor are National Coordinator and National Secretary, Movement for Democratic Principles and Enforcement).

Gbam!
you hit the nail on the head.
truth be told, Fashola has made the Life of the average Lagosian extremely difficult