EXCLUSIVE: Why APC may lose Lagos in 2027 – Party chieftain

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Chief Olushola Ishola has made a passionate appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to discharge governance with human face especially if the party wants to retain its grip on the state beyond 2027. 

The Ikeja community leader recalled the political drama that unfolded shortly after the presidential election in Lagos surprisingly won by candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Ishola noted that Obi’s emergence at the presidential poll in Lagos had made Sanwo-Olu’s second term re-election a herculean task. He said though the Governor eventually won by a landslide, however, recent draconian policies by the Lagos State Government if not checked can make the party (APC) lose should another poll be conducted.

He particularly made mention of recent actions taken by Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab, saying they appear draconian and at the detriment of the ruling APC.

Read full letter below as exclusively obtained by NewsClick Nigeria:

AN APPEAL TO GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU TO DISCHARGE DUTY OF GOVERNANCE WITH HUMAN FACE BY CHIEF OLUSHOLA ISHOLA

Your Excellency Sir,

I hope this my epistle meets you in good health as I wish you compliments of the season.

I am certain that you remember that the build up towards securing your second term in office was a herculean endeavour, considering what befell us as Lagosians during the February 25th Presidential elections where our own Lagos State was won, though marginally, by the Labour Party led by Mr Peter Obi, even if he lost overall.

Sir, as a card carrying APC member and an elder in my Ikeja community, I seek introspection in the discharge of your second term mandate as our Governor of Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence.

Mr. Governor sir, our great party, the APC beckons on you to administer our state with a human face and a sense of compassion.

Sir, the recent actions taken by our Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab need not appear draconian as it now seems to the detriment of our great party.

The idea of shutting down markets with military jackboot does not align with our democratic ethos and party manifesto.

We should understand the fact that a good many of our party members are the marketmen and women.

I believe some tact and well considered strategies ought to be applied in our governance of Lagos state.

Sir, I am sure you recall that one of the main reasons why our former Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode did not get a second term, was because party leaders at the grassroots accused him of putting many of them out of jobs with the introduction of his Visionscope Ltd to take over waste management from the PSP operators wherein many party leaders were stakeholders.

Sir, democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people.

The wanton display of arrogance by the Physical Planning Permit Authority of recent around our Lagos State is not good enough for our great party.

Government officials are supposed to relate with the grassroots to know how and when to strike.

Most Nigerians can remember the campaign promises made by our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ameliorate our conditions during the build up to the February 25th, 2023 election.

In his words,

“E lo f’okan bale”

“Won change colour naira, a ma a yipada”

“Won fi owo kun owo epo, a ma a gbewale”

Etcetera, etcetera!!!

But what do we have today??? Hardship in the urban and rural areas.

While one does not say that people should be allowed to run amok without control, government should realise the the current reforms have brought untold hardship with starvation being a real danger faced by many families in Lagos. Many men cannot drive their cars, afford medication, school fees and hitherto basic expenses as prices keep skyrocketing.

One expects every APC Governor to support our President in the discharge of his electoral promises and hoping we as the foot soldiers of our great party do not suffer unknowingly.

Please note that the 2027 elections is just by the corner, not as far as some people are thinking.

That’s when the same people that have always supported us will do the same as always.

Please, let’s not create enemies with those that have always showed us love.

Presidency, Governorship, LG Chairmanship are all ephemeral.

Governance should be done with human face and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) drive should be done with compassion rather than pushing people to the precipice whereby the core values of governance is lost.

APC is our Party, and in APC we believe.

….and sir, we are hoping that when the pendulum swings on where our next Governor in 2027 will come from, methinks, its rightful to come from Lagos West, already, we have a good candidate in our Rt. Hon. Speaker, Dr. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa (6th term in Lagos State House of Assembly).

He has indeed learnt the rope of governance and will surely sustain your developmental goals.

God bless you sir.

God bless Lagos State.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Chief Olushola Ishola, a community leader wrote from Ikeja Lagos.