Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu and Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat were elected in 2019 by lagosians under the platform of All Progressive Congress APC to manage the affairs of the state for another four year tenure.
The mandate of the party for four years is expected to expire by 2023 after which the goodwill of the people will be renewed and tested through an electoral process.
But, before then , it is expected that party stakeholders, particularly the National leader of All Progressive Congress APC , Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, opinion leaders including the Governor’s advisory council GAC’s assessment and ratification of the second term of the Babajide Sanwo-olu and Hamzat administration.
Their decisions including that of lagosians from christian bodies, moslems, tribal and spiritual leaders was devoid of any other interests, aside purely on merit and achievements of the Lagos state team under Sanwo-olu -Hamzat in the last three years.
The unique Lagos team and members of the state executive council had maintained utmost cordiality in the running of the day to day affairs of Lagos state, without any disagreements , a rare show of understanding of the democratic tenets.
The peaceful coexistence between the Governor and the Deputy Governor of Lagos state had contributed largely to the success recorded in the last three years.
This is also a departure from the previous administration in Lagos state for the level of cordiality and peaceful coexistence between the Governor and the Deputy Governor, as well as a new order in the state for a Deputy Governor to run side by side with the Governor for a succesive two terms of eight years when re-elected in 2023.
The team and it’s mandate were also responsible for the success recorded in all areas in the last three years of the present administration in Lagos state.
From social services that affected Health, Education, Roads , Urban and Rural Renewal, Employment opportunities, and infrastructural development and innovative programs which had contributed largely to the resolve to re-elect Babajide Sanwo-olu and Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat as the next governorship candidate and deputy governorship candidate of APC in Lagos state.
The singular efforts of the state government in tackling the emergency period of COVID-19, social upheaval of Endsars that ravaged the economic and social programs of Lagos state, and led to destruction of both public and personal properties including that of the Governor, Deputy Governor, their family members and some members of the state executive council including top government functionaries.
Provision of employment opportunities, interventions and creation of enabling environment for Enterpreneurship development, skill acquisition and empowerment, as well as asymmetrical capacity building programs to create engagement outlets to ordinary lagosians had made the administration the darling of all lagosians and it’s quest for continuity.
The relative peace, security and and provision of robust transport system both in the sea, land and the newly established red rail line system had transformed systematically Lagos state and will end the usual gridlock in Lagos state.
The policies of government that involved growing the internally generated revenue of Lagos state from the 20s met in 2019 to 40s in the current dispensation had made Lagos self sustaining in all areas.
Lagos state came first in the first quarter of 2021 having generated a quantum IGR ahead of all the states in the south west and more than the entire 19 northern states that includes the North Central, North West, North East of Nigeria.
The planned arrangements and efforts to move the IGR of Lagos state from billions to trillions in the coming years is being matched with actions and redoubled efforts.
This along with an improved yearly budget that includes the current and recurrent expenditure of Lagos state that had graduated to a trillion naira beyond the previous yearly budget of billions of Naira.
Provision of infrastructure facilities that included Roads, Electricity, Hospitals and Educational institutions by upgrading some institutions to State Universities, as well as planned commencement of fourth mainland bridge before the end of it’s tenure along with commissioning of the red rail line, that will provide rail transport system will be a major achievements of the present administration.
The new transport policy that will enhanced provision of more BRT buses, eliminate rickety buses on Lagos roads through donations of over 1000 vehicles and plans to donate more to private transporters on an agreed template will reduce to the barest minimum the frequent problems being faced by commuters in Lagos state.
Provision of low income and middle income houses, improved welfare for the civil servants, payment of backlog and of pension and gratuity to retiring workers had contributed in no small measure to the day to day running of the Sanwo-olu- Hamzat administration.
For Sanwo-olu and Hamzat administration, the development goals of Lagos using the new template of T-H-E-M-E-S is expected to go round all facets of the lives of all lagosians.
With the renewal of mandate through consensus of the Sanwo-olu’s administration, no doubt , more achievements will be attained both in the remaining part of this administration and when re-elected in March 2023.
All hands must be on deck by the electorate to file out and vote Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu and his Deputy Governor, Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat on the platform of APC to ensure continuity of good leadership in the forthcoming election in 2023.
ABUBAKAR YUSUF writes in from Abuja and can be reached on; [email protected].
