I will focus on grassroots development, poverty eradication, says Sanwo-Olu

• Olusi lists Ambode’s alleged sins
The standard-bearer of Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 governorship election, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured the leaders of the party that his administration would focus extensively on the development of the grassroots people and eradication of poverty if elected.

Sanwo-Olu also assured indigenes of the state that he would run an open-door government where he would not only be accessible but will also create an avenue for feedback mechanism on how the people he represents in government are faring.

While speaking during a thank you visit to members of the party at the Lagos Central Senatorial District yesterday, the former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, who defeated the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in the party’s direct primary, lamented that the bridge between the rich and the poor in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, is unprecedented “but the onus is on those of us in government to bridge it if we really mean well for them.”

According to him, “There is a large disparity between the rich and the poor. We must reach the grassroots people, who do not have access to the governor. We need to make them feel the impact of government by reducing poverty. There is hunger in Lagos and we must address it.

“Our government will be a listening one; we will adhere to the party’s manifesto and my administration is going to be a participatory one.”Meanwhile, the APC leader in Lagos Central, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, who is also a member of the Governor Advisory Council (GAC), charged Sanwo-Olu to learn from the mistakes of Ambode.

According to him, “Ambode’s second term aspiration did not come to pass but that is the will of God. However, you should all learn from him and we must find out reasons he was deprived. As a leader, I did all I could to mediate between Ambode and our national leader but to no avail. I led the delegation that was pleading for the governor and, coincidentally, I am also the same person that confirmed the nomination of Sanwo-Olu.

“My plea is that those of you surrounding the standard bearer must be able to tell him the truth if he is taking a wrong step. You should also discourage the idea of forming cliques in the party.”

Olusi also pleaded with aspirants who lost in the primaries to accept the results and move on and commended Ambode for conceding defeat to the standard bearer. He said one of the greatest challenges of the incumbent governor is that of accessibility, which Sanwo-Olu must avoid if he eventually becomes governor.

However, former Commissioner for Works and the likely running mate to the standard bearer, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, urged members of the party to go out and mobilise the electorate in Lagos to vote, saying, “Data has shown that far less than average of the total number of registered voters in the state do come out to vote on election day.”