₦airaland Forum

When the report came in that Akinwunmi Ambode, former Accountant General of Lagos State, was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progress Congress (APC) for Lagos, I was not only calm but was also happy that someone coming from a background that can take the state to the next level, was on board. One thing that impressed me was the candidate’s speech after winning the primary I refer to as the freest and fairest in the history of political primaries in Lagos State. He solely emphasized that Lagos is for all and we must endeavor not to let it down.

I’m not a fan of career politicians running Lagos. I’m a firm believer that technocrats should be directing the affairs of the state. Not because we don’t have capable politicians, but the fact is that the incumbent governor, Babatunde Fashola, has taken governance to an unprecedented level, such that no nonentity can even present himself for that office.

When serial contestant, Jimi Agbaje, also picked the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I was jubilant. It stopped being funny when the story of how Mr. Jimi rigged the primary came up and his godfather, Ex-Convict Olabode George, was fingered as the person who rigged the election for him. Reports even revealed that the votes counted outnumbered the number of accredited delegates. Shame.

Crises erupted as former Nigerian Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, rushed to court and revealed in his affidavit how the election was rigged. Not only that, he went round social media telling the world that Jimi Agbaje is bankrupt and doesn’t have the goodwill to rule Lagos State.

Also, Obanikoro made the world to believe that Jimi Agbaje is a stooge of Bode George and their aim is to run down the purse of Lagos State. Jimi Agbaje has since denied Obanikoro’s claims as he tagged him a bad loser.

THOSE AVAILABLE TO SUCCEED FASHOLA

As a Nigerian who has spent the larger part of his life in Lagos, I will love to have a governor who is going to carry on the yearnings and aspirations of the outgoing governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola; a megacity with opportunities for all.

Who are these candidates? According to their websites;

Akinwunmi Ambode (born June 14, 1963) is an accountant, an administrator and a public finance management expert. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Brandsmiths Consulting Limited – a firm that specializes in public sector finance management. Ambode was formerly the Accountant-General of Lagos State, Nigeria, and held many sensitive financial positions in the Lagos State government in a 27-year career in the Lagos State Civil Service. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He is the founder of La Roche Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on developing the next generation of leaders. He is married to Bolanle Patience Ambode (nee Odukomaiya) and they are blessed with children.

Joseph Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje is a pharmacist by training from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife. A Scion of the Onilegbale Chieftancy family of Lagos and Lasuwon family in Ikorodu, He was raised from a humble background; Father a Banker and Mother a School Teacher.

He possesses veteran experience with over 3 decades as a practicing pharmacist. He served in many health management capacities in his early years as a pharmacist in Lagos State, and is currently the Managing Director of Jaykay Pharmaceutical & Chemical Company Ltd. which is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals across the country. He is a Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN); Fellow, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists (FPCPharm); Merit Award Winner (MAW), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (Lagos State).

Also, he was Action Congress governorship(AC) aspirant in 2007. After losing the primary to incumbent Governor Fashola, Jimi dumped the party for Democratic People’s Alliance(DPA) because then incumbent governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu handpicked Fashola as his successor. Also Mr. Jimi lost to the incumbent Govenor in 2007 as he came third and former Minister of defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro came 2nd.

With the considerable performance of Fashola in office, during the 2011 election Jimi chose not contest. He even attended the Action Congress of Nigeria’s National Convention at Onikan Stadium in 2010. That was when people started speculating that Jimi will be the next ACN guber candidate in 2015.

But when the ACN merged with other opposition parties to form the  APC, Jimi was nowhere in the founding forces. He instead announced he was joining the PDP. At this juncture, speculation started coming in that he ran away from APC because he doesn’t want to partake in primaries and because he’s a politician and not a technocrat, APC are likely not to use him as their belief goes that, if a politician rules Lagos, they won’t have the political will to effect the mega city dream.

MY CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR

I don’t choose would-be leaders with either religion or tribal sentiments in mind but I choose leaders to vote for with enough conviction at the back of my mind. I want a Governor who is not only going to continue the good works of the present administration and who is going to bring new ideas and not just real ideas but also realistic ideas.

Also, the political party the governor will be operating under matters too. A party with integrity and visible track record is of particular reference here–a party whose program and manifesto can meet the yearnings of Nigerians.

My choice for Governor between Akinwunmi Ambode of APC and Jimi Kolawole Agbaje of PDP is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC.

Ambode’s experience is very important to the next level Lagos is supposed to move to. After the arduous works done by Fashola, all Ambode has to do is just to follow the same path freely and use his experience in governance to move Lagos to greatness. Also, Ambode has a training in PUBLIC LEADERSHIP in Massachusetts, USA. What else do we need?

Agbaje will take Lagos backwards as he has no knowledge of Public Service and at this stage, a trial and error leadership will destroy must of the institutional foundation laid by Fashola and Bola Tinubu.

With the bad and non-progressive activities of the PDP in Nigeria, I can’t support the party, not to talk of someone in a party of Goodluck Jonathan; a name and party that’s synonymous with failure and corruption. Also, recent happenings in Ekiti shows how evil a PDP candidate can be. Lagos is a peaceful state, I leave my door open to sleep just like Ekiti people did during Kayode Fayemi’s tenure. But the story is now a different one since Ayodele Fayose of the PDP took over.

Jimi Agbaje of PDP has a pharmacy with one branch since 1982 and his JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Limited has no branch anywhere in Lagos State. Even as the National Chairman, Nigerian Association of General Practice Pharmacists, he couldn’t realise that as a business, he is supposed to have companies across the state. This shows he has no business orientation. Meanwhile Akinwunmi Ambode on his part as a civil servant moved from one LGA to another managing the accounts and finances of LGAs and rose to become the Accountant General of Lagos State. What else do I need in a Governor?

My last observation is that a Leader makes leaders. According to the information on the websites of both Jimi Agbaje and Akinwunmi Ambode, I could deduce that Ambode is already training young leaders to attain positive and inspiring positions in their endevours. This is very important for someone who wants to lead a state like Lagos.

Personally, I took interest in governance just because I saw one man doing what others couldn’t do and that man is Tunde Fashola. I love the man so passionately that I have never hid it from people both in my personal life, social media and academics sphere. I argue politics in class with professors once Tunde Fashola is mentioned. I take the Fashola cause so passionately that I told a friend of mine who works in Alausa to always get me a copy of Lagos Indicator(a monthly magazine showing different works of my amiable Governor). This is just because I want to always follow his ways and footsteps and I can tell he has developed my psyche to the extent that no idiot should occupy public office.

Also, Tunde Fashola has opened my mind to the fact that leaders should not be chosen with sentiments but with pure knowledge of what to do to make a system work. On this basis and with antecedents of this candidate, I can without fear or favour say it that the best man for Itesiwaju Eko as far as Agbaje and Ambode are concerned is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC because his anabatic career will take Lagos to the next level.


Lanre Oguntoyinbo twets via @lanreneville

http://www.ekekeee.com/lagos-guber-choice-pdps-just-kidding-apcs-anabatic-ambo-lanre-oguntoyinbo/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Pure TRASH!!

solazo:
When the report came in that Akinwunmi Ambode, former Accountant General of Lagos State, was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progress Congress (APC) for Lagos, I was not only calm but was also happy that someone coming from a background that can take the state to the next level, was on board. One thing that impressed me was the candidate’s speech after winning the primary I refer to as the freest and fairest in the history of political primaries in Lagos State. He solely emphasized that Lagos is for all and we must endeavor not to let it down.

I’m not a fan of career politicians running Lagos. I’m a firm believer that technocrats should be directing the affairs of the state. Not because we don’t have capable politicians, but the fact is that the incumbent governor, Babatunde Fashola, has taken governance to an unprecedented level, such that no nonentity can even present himself for that office.

When serial contestant, Jimi Agbaje, also picked the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I was jubilant. It stopped being funny when the story of how Mr. Jimi rigged the primary came up and his godfather, Ex-Convict Olabode George, was fingered as the person who rigged the election for him. Reports even revealed that the votes counted outnumbered the number of accredited delegates. Shame.

Crises erupted as former Nigerian Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, rushed to court and revealed in his affidavit how the election was rigged. Not only that, he went round social media telling the world that Jimi Agbaje is bankrupt and doesn’t have the goodwill to rule Lagos State.

Also, Obanikoro made the world to believe that Jimi Agbaje is a stooge of Bode George and their aim is to run down the purse of Lagos State. Jimi Agbaje has since denied Obanikoro’s claims as he tagged him a bad loser.

THOSE AVAILABLE TO SUCCEED FASHOLA

As a Nigerian who has spent the larger part of his life in Lagos, I will love to have a governor who is going to carry on the yearnings and aspirations of the outgoing governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola; a megacity with opportunities for all.

Who are these candidates? According to their websites;

Akinwunmi Ambode (born June 14, 1963) is an accountant, an administrator and a public finance management expert. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Brandsmiths Consulting Limited – a firm that specializes in public sector finance management. Ambode was formerly the Accountant-General of Lagos State, Nigeria, and held many sensitive financial positions in the Lagos State government in a 27-year career in the Lagos State Civil Service. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He is the founder of La Roche Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on developing the next generation of leaders. He is married to Bolanle Patience Ambode (nee Odukomaiya) and they are blessed with children.

Joseph Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje is a pharmacist by training from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife. A Scion of the Onilegbale Chieftancy family of Lagos and Lasuwon family in Ikorodu, He was raised from a humble background; Father a Banker and Mother a School Teacher.

He possesses veteran experience with over 3 decades as a practicing pharmacist. He served in many health management capacities in his early years as a pharmacist in Lagos State, and is currently the Managing Director of Jaykay Pharmaceutical & Chemical Company Ltd. which is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals across the country. He is a Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN); Fellow, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists (FPCPharm); Merit Award Winner (MAW), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (Lagos State).

Also, he was Action Congress governorship(AC) aspirant in 2007. After losing the primary to incumbent Governor Fashola, Jimi dumped the party for Democratic People’s Alliance(DPA) because then incumbent governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu handpicked Fashola as his successor. Also Mr. Jimi lost to the incumbent Govenor in 2007 as he came third and former Minister of defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro came 2nd.

With the considerable performance of Fashola in office, during the 2011 election Jimi chose not contest. He even attended the Action Congress of Nigeria’s National Convention at Onikan Stadium in 2010. That was when people started speculating that Jimi will be the next ACN guber candidate in 2015.

But when the ACN merged with other opposition parties to form the  APC, Jimi was nowhere in the founding forces. He instead announced he was joining the PDP. At this juncture, speculation started coming in that he ran away from APC because he doesn’t want to partake in primaries and because he’s a politician and not a technocrat, APC are likely not to use him as their belief goes that, if a politician rules Lagos, they won’t have the political will to effect the mega city dream.

MY CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR

I don’t choose would-be leaders with either religion or tribal sentiments in mind but I choose leaders to vote for with enough conviction at the back of my mind. I want a Governor who is not only going to continue the good works of the present administration and who is going to bring new ideas and not just real ideas but also realistic ideas.

Also, the political party the governor will be operating under matters too. A party with integrity and visible track record is of particular reference here–a party whose program and manifesto can meet the yearnings of Nigerians.

My choice for Governor between Akinwunmi Ambode of APC and Jimi Kolawole Agbaje of PDP is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC.

Ambode’s experience is very important to the next level Lagos is supposed to move to. After the arduous works done by Fashola, all Ambode has to do is just to follow the same path freely and use his experience in governance to move Lagos to greatness. Also, Ambode has a training in PUBLIC LEADERSHIP in Massachusetts, USA. What else do we need?

Agbaje will take Lagos backwards as he has no knowledge of Public Service and at this stage, a trial and error leadership will destroy must of the institutional foundation laid by Fashola and Bola Tinubu.

With the bad and non-progressive activities of the PDP in Nigeria, I can’t support the party, not to talk of someone in a party of Goodluck Jonathan; a name and party that’s synonymous with failure and corruption. Also, recent happenings in Ekiti shows how evil a PDP candidate can be. Lagos is a peaceful state, I leave my door open to sleep just like Ekiti people did during Kayode Fayemi’s tenure. But the story is now a different one since Ayodele Fayose of the PDP took over.

Jimi Agbaje of PDP has a pharmacy with one branch since 1982 and his JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Limited has no branch anywhere in Lagos State. Even as the National Chairman, Nigerian Association of General Practice Pharmacists, he couldn’t realise that as a business, he is supposed to have companies across the state. This shows he has no business orientation. Meanwhile Akinwunmi Ambode on his part as a civil servant moved from one LGA to another managing the accounts and finances of LGAs and rose to become the Accountant General of Lagos State. What else do I need in a Governor?

My last observation is that a Leader makes leaders. According to the information on the websites of both Jimi Agbaje and Akinwunmi Ambode, I could deduce that Ambode is already training young leaders to attain positive and inspiring positions in their endevours. This is very important for someone who wants to lead a state like Lagos.

Personally, I took interest in governance just because I saw one man doing what others couldn’t do and that man is Tunde Fashola. I love the man so passionately that I have never hid it from people both in my personal life, social media and academics sphere. I argue politics in class with professors once Tunde Fashola is mentioned. I take the Fashola cause so passionately that I told a friend of mine who works in Alausa to always get me a copy of Lagos Indicator(a monthly magazine showing different works of my amiable Governor). This is just because I want to always follow his ways and footsteps and I can tell he has developed my psyche to the extent that no idiot should occupy public office.

Also, Tunde Fashola has opened my mind to the fact that leaders should not be chosen with sentiments but with pure knowledge of what to do to make a system work. On this basis and with antecedents of this candidate, I can without fear or favour say it that the best man for Itesiwaju Eko as far as Agbaje and Ambode are concerned is Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC because his anabatic career will take Lagos to the next level.


Lanre Oguntoyinbo twets via @lanreneville

http://www.ekekeee.com/lagos-guber-choice-pdps-just-kidding-apcs-anabatic-ambo-lanre-oguntoyinbo/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

I agree with everything he said, Ambode is the best choice

temitemi1:
Pure TRASH!!

robot

Jimmy is Just Kidding.

everybody Knows Ambode is the best choice...

Who wants a chemist shop owner who could not upgrade his drugs dispensing shop from its 8 sales attendant showroom N take it to a new level for over 28years yet he HAS BOLD IDEAS.

Why didn't those BOLD IDEAS work in his SHOP? If a man promise to buy you clothes it is necessary you check the one he is wearing " a Yoruba proverb"

Despite the fact he is a distant relative from the same Lasunwon royal house in Ikorodu I won't and can't vote for him and same with thousands of ikorodu sons and daughters who appreciate the quality leadership the APC has provided in Lagos for 16years.

Let Mr Just Kidding go turn around his SHOP that has remained in same location for years without a single branch outside Apapa. Let the man go sit down one side,
Itesiwaju ilu Eko ojemi logun.