Fashola’s Tenure, A Failure –PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has
described the performance of former Governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola, as
dismal. The Lagos chapter of the party on
Friday alleged that the administration of Fashola was largely based on
propaganda.

But in a swift reaction, Fashola’s
Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, described the party’s statement as
amusing.

The PDP, however, admonished his
successor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to govern the state with the fear of God
in order to move the state out of its “make-belief” situation.

In a statement issued by its
Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, the party stated that it did not expect
Ambode to act differently in terms of running his administration based on
propaganda.

Gani said, “While we hope the best
for Lagos State, it is our objective projection that Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode may
not depart from the propagandist government now institutionalised in the state
by Governor Fashola.”

The PDP said Ambode should avoid
the entrapment of ‘godfatherism’ for the Lagos State to prosper.

The statement said, “It is,
however, our wish that the state prospers and so we admonish Ambode to get
close to God and jettison ‘godfatherism’ in order to make any appreciable
success. By upholding this tenet, Mr. Ambode will implement policies for the
people and not continue in the manner that (suggests) the state economy is in
the hands of a godfather.

“With monthly internally generated
revenue of at least N27bn, no governor should fail in Lagos state. But former
Governor Fashola left office leaving the state with the highest local and
international debt profile in the federation. The former governor failed
because of his over-dependence on a godfather and his own self-believe.”

According to the Lagos PDP, there
are many projects and policies abandoned by the Fashola administration.

“Such include, lack of affordable
low-cost housing, balkanised civil service with no minimum wage, unresolved
Lagos State University crisis, economic and human rights violations. Others are
shortage of road networks, hostile business environment, inability to bring
down cost of living in the state, poor primary and secondary education
standard, to mention a few,” the statement added.

The party expressed confidence
that through the ongoing governorship tribunal, its candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje,
might be declared the winner of the April 11, 2015 poll.

In a text message sent to our
correspondent in response to PDP’s assessment of Fashola’s tenure, Bello said,
“It’s ironic that the PDP, a party that failed woefully at the national level
could issue such a statement.”

Also responding through a text
message, the Lagos All Progressives Congress Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe
Igbokwe, said that the party should not be taken seriously.

“Are you still listening to that
dead party? Please stop wasting your precious gift of time on this totally
irredeemable party that destroyed Nigeria. Did PDP in Abuja accomplish half of
what Fashola accomplished in Lagos given the resources at their disposal? PDP
Lagos should shut up forever in Nigeria. They gang- raped Nigeria for 16 years
and posterity will never forgive them,” Igbokwe told Saturday Punch.

Punch