2023: Why I am seeking re-election as Lagos Governor – Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, has stated his desire to be re-elected next year.

He has been asked by Lagosians to renew his mandate based on his accomplishments over the last three and a half years.

With the unveiling of the brand media activation strategies, a team from the Lagos State Government kicked off campaigns for Sanwo-Olu’s re-election bid and that of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

The team had at 4am laser branded the Lagos Lagoon along the Third Mainland Bridge. At 4:30am, 1,000 young Lagos residents stood in strategic locations in the state clad as campaign mascots to alert residents on the campaign flag off. They were on the Third Mainland Bridge, Oshodi, Lekki, Ikorodu, Ojota and Abule Egba.

Residents in riverine communities also rolled out branded canoes in a special sea show at 6.30am, while at 9am, a multi-dimensional road show comprising power bikers, activation rigs and mobile advertising vans moved in convoy from Ikeja through Ikorodu Road to Lagos Island while from 1pm, campaign jingles hit the airwaves with the first set of television campaigns at 7pm.

I am running on records

Speaking at the official flag-off and media briefing in Ikeja GRA, Sanwo-Olu, through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said, “I am running on records; get ready for more.”

According to him, the theme of his second term campaign reinforced continuity of his achievements so far, stressing that renewal of his mandate would further strengthen his administration’s resolve to scale up efficiency of his development blueprint known as THEMES Agenda, and unlock more socio-economic opportunities for hardworking residents.

Also, Director-General of Sanwo-Olu-Hamzat Campaign Committee, Ganiyu Olawale Solomon, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said there would be a robust campaign that would show the success of the Sanwo-Olu administration in the last three years and a half.

Reward for hardwork

Highlighting Sanwo-Olu’s achievements amid adversity, Omotoso said: “By the morning of July 4, 2019, the city also woke up to the tragic incident of an NNPC pipeline explosion in Ijegemo, a suburb of Ijegun due to the activities of pipeline vandals. Again, the ever-empathetic Governor Sanwo-Olu rallied his team to restore hope to the helpless.

“In a few months again, Lagos witnessed an upsurge in crime due to the activities of commercial motorcycle operators, popularly referred to as Okada. The Sanwo-Olu administration again rose to the challenge and restricted the activities of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators to a number of roads within the State.

“The move was a containment strategy to keep their activities manageable for the already over-stretched security agencies.

“Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in China in January 2020, Lagos recorded the index case of the dreaded virus on 27th of February 2020. Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a rare display of bravery and courageous leadership in adversity, assumed the role of the Incident Commander. With Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, his deputy, rallied the best brains of the Nigerian health sector to confront the dangers the pandemic posed to millions of Lagosians.

Global example

“In no time, Lagos indeed became a global example for the medical world on how to fight the pandemic. As the pandemic was on, the tragic episode of #ENDSARS came.

“Taking advantage of the restraint the protest had brought on the law enforcement agents okada and tricycle operators became laws onto themselves, riding mindlessly against the traffic, with consequential killing and maiming of innocent citizens. Governor Sanwo-Olu again rose to the challenge and extended the ban on Okada and tricycles to more local government council areas.

“As each of these challenges attempted to bring Lagos State on her knees, like a tested General in a war with fierce and phased battles, Governor Sanwo-Olu tapped into the indomitable Spirit of Lagos.