Former Minister of State for Defence and aspirant for the Lagos governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musiliu Obanikoro, has promised to relegate all those posing as godfathers in Lagos to the lowest point of irrelevance if he eventually becomes the governor of the state.
Obanikoro, who formally declared his intention to contest for the governorship seat of the state on Monday, said the destiny of the state could no longer continue to hang on the neck of one man.
Though he did not mention any name, it was obvious that the former Minister was referring to the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as he continuously mention Bourdillon, the location of Tinubu’s residence.
He said though Governor Babatunde Fashola tried for the state, his best was not good enough as he always had to take permission from Bourdillon.
He said the era where the rich continued to get richer while the poor live in abject poverty would be discouraged. He told the crowd at the National Stadium venue of his declaration that if voted into office, he would ensure his government created malaria centres for the treatment of malaria which he said was one of the major illnesses in the state.
He also promised to equip health centres and ensure that the education sector enjoyed a major boost with the state’s students coming out tops in every examination in the country.
He said he would return power, true grassroots governance, back to the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas.
He also promised to build a 24-hour economy in the state to enable petty traders cater for themselves and their families.
He promised that through his ‘One Man, One Tax’ programme, he would ensure that people are not over-taxed.
He emphasised that with his emergence, he would stop Alphabeta, a consultancy firm belonging to Tinubu and which the state had been using to generate internally generated revenue on an alleged agreement that the firm would get 10 percent of whatever is generated.
The aspirant also promised to establish Teacher Towns across the state to boost the morale of teachers in the state.
“The journey ahead is going to be difficult but we must stay focused,” Obanikoro told the crowd at the declaration ceremony.
He further promised to eliminate the phenomenon of the rich turning to a burden on the government if he becomes the governor.
“Lagos belongs to all of us and we are going to put an end to an era where Lagos belongs to one man. Power belongs to God and man,” he said.
Obanikoro held that Lagos is challenged, saying the average family in Lagos was struggling.
He commended the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, for his efforts to develop the state, but complained about the high amount spent on projects in the state.
He said it was time for a greater Lagos where the determined youths would be successful in life.
While addressing the crowd, the Vice Chairman of the PDP for Southwest, Makanjuola Ogundipe, said it was time for the party to unite in the state and support the right candidate for governor.
He called on the party members to support Obanikoro and bring him victory in the election.
“We will vote and win. Please, let us see ourselves as one. We must see ourselves as one. Let us come together and stop the fight. Those we have to fight now are those in the ruling party,” Ogundipe said.