My contest is pro-people, to dislodge the powers that-be in Lagos, says Salis

Lagos State governorship candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Owolabi Salis, has described Lagos State governorship election as one between the powers that-be in the state and the people.

Salis made the statement in Ifako-Ijaye, when he met members of Cherubim and Seraphim Church. He said the man being backed by the powers that-be in the state was never ready to contest the election, but that he was dragged into the race for his godfather to continue his rulership of the state as usual.

“So, his vision for the people is zero,” he said. “He’s loyal to that person because he knows if he becomes the governor, the same person also has the power to get him out. I told the baales that one of the candidates contesting the election is a product of imposition and people are seeing him as special.”

He noted that if there was fair play in the politics of Lagos, there would be no place for potholes “because the person who is governing the state will be careful enough that if he refuses to perform, he would be voted out but they won’t allow fair play.

“Lagos is not as it used to be. Lagos was like London to people outside the state. People respected those who lived in Lagos; they worshipped them when they returned to their villages because it was the best place to live in and it was the same with Nigeria. People looked to Nigeria for leadership, but not anymore.”

Salis also said education is a major area to focus attention in the state, as only the rich could afford the best education for their children while children of the poor are left to sort themselves out in shabby and poorly maintained schools.

On health, he said, “I can score Lagos State zero in the area of health. The state’s attitude to the health of the people only encourages more local hawkers of herbal concoctions that do more harm rather than heal. Many who don’t know how to treat themselves with agbo are forced to because getting treatment from clinic is expensive. Almost all the mortuaries in Lagos are privatised and people cannot bury their dead relatives if they are unable to raise the amount demanded. Not only the government lacks respect for the living, they also deprive the dead of their dignity.”

On his mission to the church, Salis said, “They all understand what the problem is, but they have been keeping quiet. The same way I spoke to other religious leaders of the need to come out because they are really the voice of the people.”