A list of the best governors in Nigeria will be incomplete without Governor Fashola in it. He is seen as the model administrator and, by NIGERIAN STANDARDS, one has to say, it is true. (Emphasis on ‘Nigerian Standards’). But is it true? After this piece, that decision is left to you.

We have plenty respect for Governor Fashola, and we have tried to exclude him from our campaigns. We have tried to focus on issues that matter to all Lagosians and have left out the outgoing governor. But the outgoing governor would stop at nothing in his bid to tarnish the image of Jimi Agbaje, the PDP gubernatorial candidate. The outgoing governor will not let the proverbial sleeping dogs lie. The respect we HAVE for Fashola is becoming past tense. The HAVE is rapidly turning to ‘had’.

First Fashola LIED that Jimi Agbaje was 60 years old, hence too old to lead Lagos. We reminded him that Jimi Agbaje was actually 57 and opened his eyes to the foolishness of his statement, considering the fact that his presidential candidate is 72 years old.

He then called Jimi Agbaje’s #BoldIdeas bold inexperience and tried to say why they won’t work. Jimi Agbaje responded, as a teacher would to his errant student and schooled Fashola on why and how they would work.

Now he is calling Jimi Agbaje a tax evader. This is another unfortunate attempt to tarnish the image of our candidate, who has never owed tax in his personal capacity, nor have any of his businesses.

We could have campaigned by saying how the Governor and his master at Bourdillon have plundered Lagos. We could have campaigned by asking how the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge cost 29billion naira, 84 times more than the amount the same bridge should cost (according to World Bank standards). We would have campaigned by asking why Alpha Beta – owned by Fashola’s lord – is collecting a whooping 10% of ALL Lagos IGR as consultancy fee. We could even have campaigned by saying Ambode’s JAMB form establishes the fact that he is from Ondo state, not Lagos as he claims. These are actually issues, but based on the respect we have…had for Fashola and his oga’s cashier, we have rather focused this campaign on our strengths, our ideas, and how we plan to grow Lagos further.

But, since the outgoing governor would rather attack personalities, maybe we should ask him a few questions. Like, why was he almost impeached in 2009? Why did he force Ambode to resign from the civil service? How many billions was Tinubu siphoning through Ambode before he was asked to resign or be sacked? Why did Fashola want Supo Sashore to be governor and not Ambode, before the December 2014 APC primaries? Fashola has done well, (in Nigerian standards), so why is he not focusing his campaign for Ambode on his achievements? Why is he so desperate that he is attacking Jimi Agbaje’s person? Has he seen the handwriting on the wall? Has he noticed that Lagosians want change? Has he been told that his government may have done well (by Nigerian standards again), but Jimi Agbaje will do much better (not just by Nigerian standards but by global standards) and the PDP candidate’s government will be more accountable? Has he realized that his cash-flow through the cashier his lord and master is imposing on Lagos will be plugged if Jimi Agbaje wins as the offline and online polls have predicted? Has he realized that Ambode has nothing to offer and can’t speak for himself as seen in that LICC debate? Is that why he is campaigning as if him, not Ambode is running for governor? Is that why Fashola has become one of them – politicians without class?

Oga Fashola, remember when you ran for a second term in 2011, Lagosians stood behind you despite the fact that your oga at Bourdillon did not want you anymore. Lagosians voted for you because you were seen as a technocrat who was ‘working’, not the average street politician. You are losing that by the minute. In 4 months you won’t be governor of Lagos anymore. Protect your reputation as an admired and respected technocrat very well. Leave mudslinging to dirty politicians. Focus on completing your tenure on a resoundingly high note. Oga Fashola, face your work. Leave dirty politics to dirty people. Face your work o.

FACE YOUR WORK!

Signed, Onye Nkuzi.