PDP, ACN launch battle for Lagos

HeadlinesMar 2, 2011

By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, CHARLES KUMOLU, GBENGA OKE, IFEANYI OKOLIE & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

LAGOS – LIKE a 100-metre race, leading political parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, kicked off the political battle for Lagos in style with each boasting that it would win the state christened the Centre of Excellence at the April polls.
Leaders of the PDP drawn from all parts of the country including President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, 12 governors and ministers among others, stormed Tafawa Balewa Square for a rally and declared that they were ready to liberate Lagos from the clutches of the opposition and transform it.
Conversely, the ACN and Governor Babatunde Fashola at several rallies in the metropolis asked the PDP to perish the thought of winning the state. Instead of dreaming of getting any political mileage in Lagos, Fashola asked the PDP-led Federal Government to account for alleged  $500 billion oil proceeds the country made in the last five years given the high level of poverty and decaying amenities in the country.
The ACN rallies took place at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Agege Stadium, Gbagada playground and Volkswagen playground, Ojo.
The multiple rallies took a toll on economic activities in the emerging megacity of Lagos. There was traffic gridlock in many parts of the state. In the early hours of yesterday, the day looked like a typical Thursday morning when markets hold weekly environmental sanitation. Many shops were closed as the owners trooped out for the rallies.
Why PDP needs Lagos
At the well-attended PDP rally, speaker after speaker harped on the need to return Lagos to the mainstream of Nigeria politics, lamenting that 32 years of being in the opposition had stunted the growth of the state.
PDP leaders at the event included National Chairman, Haliru Mohammed; Chief Anthony Anenih; Alhaji Oladipo Tajudeen; Governors Bukola Saraki, Kwara; Gbenga Daniel, Ogun; Ikedi Ohakim, Imo; Christopher Alao-Akala, Oyo; Akwe Doma, Nasarawa; Ibrahim Idris, Kogi; Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Kaduna; Danbaba Suntai, Taraba; and Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
There were also National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali;  Petroleum Minister, Mrs Deziani Allison-Madueke, Finance Minister, Segun Aganga; Power Minister, Mr. Nuhu Wya; Mrs Sarah Jubril, Mr. Oronto Douglas, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Hon. Austin Opara, Chief Olabode George and PDP governorship candidate for Lagos, Dr. Ade Dosunmu among others.
Speaking on why PDP needed Lagos, Jonathan said: “To fix the economy of Nigeria, you must know Lagos and work with Lagos” because Lagos is the most cosmopolitan city in the country and the most populated. And to realise the dream of Vision 20-2020, you must stimulate the economy and commerce.”
Noting that Lagos contributed 53 per cent to the nation’s economy, it could not be ignored and so industry, commerce and trade in the city have to be stimulated and the factories got working again, ports fixed, Jonathan said: “To generate employment and wealth, Lagos is the place to start.”
Selective tendering
Noting that Federal Government had not been intervening in roads as much as it should, the President disclosed that he had directed selective tendering to start work on the eight-lane Oshodi-Airport Road project.
Besides, he said the Federal Government had set up committees to look at all sectors and know areas the Federal Government would handle and those to be assigned to the Lagos State Government.  He said: “If it is in the areas of roads and housing, we will repair or fix. We need the cooperation of the private sector. The Federal Government and Lagos State Government need to work together to develop Lagos.”
Before Jonathan spoke, Obasanjo, Ade Dosunmu, Namadi Sambo and Haliru Mohammed, among others, had spoken in like manner. Ministers of Petroleum, Power and Finance highlighted the achievements of Jonathan in the last eight months, which they said needed to be continued, sustained and improved.
The achievements included ending fuel queues, sustaining peace in Niger Delta which has kept crude oil production at 2.6 million barrels per day, releasing N500 billion to revive local industries, $500 million to small and medium industries, allocating N50 billion in 2011 budget to create jobs and assenting the Nigeria Content Act, which would Nigerians reaping half of N20 billion investments in the oil and gas sector.
According to them, the government’s plans could translate into 13 million within 12 months.
PDP liberation rally
The PDP guber candidate, Ade Dosunmu, who described the event as “liberation rally for Lagos,” said since the creation of the state in 1967, it had been in the opposition, with little or nothing to show for it. Claiming that “the only structures we have in Lagos are those put in place when Lagos was federal capital,” he urged Lagosians to deliver the state to PDP and promised to reduce taxation, erect affordable houses, ensure qualitative and affordable education and end recurrent  strikes.
Addressing the audience, Obasanjo congratulated Jonathan in advance for winning the presidential polls because his predecessors campaigned at TBS and won. He urged the electorate to vote all PDP candidates so that together with the Federal Government, they would transform Lagos.
Bukola Saraki said the governors and other party leaders turned out in their numbers, which he said had never happened before because “PDP loves Lagos. There are 28 PDP governors, we want Lagos to join us in the PDP family.”
On his part, PDP National Chairman, Haliru Mohhamed said: “The PDP love Lagos more than we love Abuja. We are not able to deliver in Lagos because of your government here. You have always had traitors who take 10 per cent of your revenue. Jonathan and Dosunmu will improve the economy of Lagos. Vote all PDP candidates so that Lagos will be PDP and a breath of fresh air will blow all over Lagos.”
PDP can’t get Lagos – Fashola
Governor Fashola and other leaders of the ACN said they were ready for the challenge. Fashola, who criss-crossed four rallies of the party, in different parts of the state, urged the PDP administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to explain what they did with $500 billion about N75 trillion oil revenue in the last five years.
Fashola who accused the PDP led Federal Government of inflicting more pains on Nigerians through poor formulation and implementation of policies in the last 12 years, said the time for change was now as ACN through tested and vibrant candidates was set to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of PDP mal-administration.
Fashola, speaking at the senatorial campaign flag off which was attended by various ACN candidates including Mr. Gbenga Ashafa, ACN senatorial candidate for Lagos East Senatorial district, lamented that despite the huge income made yearly by the Federal Government, the roads were still in deplorable conditions across the state without any tangible move for rehabilitation, and  “there is insecurity, no electricity,” among others.
The governor lambasted PDP presidential campaign rally held in Lagos for shutting down traffic along Third Mainland Bridge and environs for several hours without any consideration to the negative economic implications.
Speaking at Agege Stadium, Fashola said: “Nigerians should ask the PDP led Federal Government on what they did with the $500 profits made from the sales of crude oil in the last five years. Federal roads are in bad state, Nigeria is still in darkness through irregular power supply, there is unemployment.

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