Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Thursday called on Nigerians to use the coming General Elections to decide and demonstrate that they can take control of their own destiny by changing what clearly does not work for them.



This was contained in the press release issued yesterday by Hakeem Bello,special adviser on media to Lagos state Governor,Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House while hosting a Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Nda Isaiah, said the Election offers them “a big opportunity now to step up like all other Nations of the World who can change an incumbent government because of its record of underperformance.

The Governor, who said it would amount to a waste of time having to wait for eight years for a bad government to leave before seeking change, pointed out that the choices that the people eventually make would have consequences adding, “So if you refuse to make the choices that are coming, you must be ready to live with the consequences”.

He praised the Presidential Aspirants for stepping out to lead at this period which he described as “troubled times” in the history of the nation adding that they have demonstrated patriotism and the commitment to save the nation from avoidable danger and eminent disaster.

“I think that what you and the other aspirants of the APC, our Party, my Party, are demonstrating is leadership in troubled times, I think by offering your service, by standing up to be counted, you indicate clearly that this Nation is not without patriots”, the Governor said.

According to him, “People who will stand up to be counted, especially at the time when it seems that dark clouds have gathered, that is for me, having run a Government here, a big responsibility in itself. At the State level I know what it takes to seek to hold the office of Governor if you are serious, so I can only imagine the multiplications of that at the Presidential stage”.

Saluting the courage of his Guest and that of the other aspirants, Governor Fashola wished all of them the best adding that the APC was determined to ensure that the process that would produce the best Candidate among them would be a model of probity and transparency.

He told his Guest, “What is important is to continue to keep the issues that inform change alive, the issue of insecurity, issues of infrastructure deficits, that we must quickly overcome these as well as the issues of poor governance alluding to some of the issues that you raised earlier about impunity that manifest as a result of bad governance”.

“We must keep those issues in the front burner, to remind Nigerians of the necessity for democratic change and it is important to continue to make those points as well”, Governor Fashola said, adding, “You have my best wishes as you go along what for me is an undertaking of patriotism”.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Presidential Aspirant said his visit was part of his on-going efforts to talk to the APC delegates ahead of the primaries as to why he should be the choice Candidate for the Party adding, however, that he was also in the Government House to thank the Governor for “the great jobs you have done for this country”.

“I wish to commend you for what you have done in Lagos State, for showing to the world the kind of government that APC will be forming”, the Aspirant said adding, “We have had course to tell people that we have successfully dealt with Ebola and only God knows what would have happened if Ebola had not entered through Lagos”.

Expressing pride over what the Governor did during the Ebola days in the State, Nda Isaiah declared, “I remember that when this happened you left everything you were doing and you did not mind to visit some of the churches where many of these foreigners come to seek help”.

He said as the Nation moves on to the next election, it has become imperatively clear to Nigerians that there is need for change, pointing out that the nation is facing a very embarrassing situation including total breakdown of law and order and impunity taking to the level that could not be imagined in the country.

“That is why there must be change by APC in this country. As I have been saying, we are just three month away for change and by the grace of God we must ensure that it is so for the sake of our country and for the sake of generations yet unborn, because we have to rescue this country and that is what Nigerians are asking for”, he said.

Also present at the occasion were some members of the State Executive Council including Secretary to the State Government, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule, Commissioner for Rural Development, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Hon. Oyinlomo Danmole, and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye as well as Senior Adviser, Sam4Nigeria Campaign Organization, Mr. Hosea Kupchi..COM



BY: IFEDAYO AKINWALERE