Bola Badmus – Lagos
A group of eminent citizens of Lagos State under the aegis of Omo Eko Pataki, on Thursday, endorsed the Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as the preferred candidate to vote for in Saturday’s election.
The membership of the group, including former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George; former minister, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju(rtd); former Deputy Governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Chief Olabode Oladeinde, among others took the stand through a motion moved by Dr. Lai Ogunbambi and seconded by Dr. Remi Akitoye.
The leaders said by supporting the Labour Party candidate, the indigenes of Lagos State would realise their dream of a better Lagos which they had been aspiring for.
Speaking on the reason for adopting Rhodes- Vivour as the candidate to support, Chief George said the occasion presented an opportunity to immortalize the memory of the Late Engr. Funsho Williams, a former PDP governorship candidate whose. contributions must not be allowed to “be in vain.”
“This is our finest hour to immortalize the memory of our dear son, the Late Engr. Funsho Williams. We must not let his contributions be in vain.
“On this premise, Omo Eko Pataki group, a new socio-political movement, is born to ensure that our electoral process in Lagos will be free, fair and just.
“We insist on the use of electronic transfer of results rather than the unreliable, archaic, manual system. ‘O to ge.’
“Our dear state shall under God have a new birth of freedom, that the government of the people, the government by the people and the government for the people shall never perish in our state,” he stated.
Chief George said the group was out to eradicate selfish governance, urging the electorate to come out enmass and vote and not give room for intimidation.
“We seek freedom for all: freedom for the underprivileged, freedom for the poor, freedom for the rich. We must ensure that we eradicate selfish governance in our state.
“All registered voters must come out to cast their votes without fear. On this, I appeal to all security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and properties of our people,” he said.
Chief George, who charged the police authority and other security agencies to arrest marauders and violent thugs, said “the opportunity to liberate ourselves by the Power of the Almighty God has arrived.”
George, however, urged the electorate to vote Rhode-Vivour for governorship position, but should vote the PDP candidates for the House of Assembly seats.
Speaking further, Chief George assured all victims of recent spate of attacks in the state and all those who had lost properties and their sources of livelihood during the electioneering period, to be rest assured that the issues shall be revisited in the new era of a legally-elected democratic government in Lagos.
This was just as the PDP chieftain
described the Saturday election as the last battle of Berlin, urging all civil servants and pensioners to team up with the new cause.
Former Minister of Communications, Gen. Olanrewaju, in his own remark, said with the endorsement of the LP governorship candidate, the promised Land for Lagosians was just in sight, recalling that the group, Omo Eko Pataki was first ever to throw its weight for Rhodes- Vivour’s ambition.
This was just as the former minister posited that those claiming that the LP standard bearer was of Igbo origin were “ones who don’t want us to liberate ourselves in Lagos.”
“We were the first to declare our support for him. That is the man that is going to where we are going and he is going to take us there by the grace of God,” he said.
Former deputy governor, Bucknor- Akerele, in her remark, said the endorsement of the LP governorship candidate, Rhodes- Vivour, was an indication that the flight to free Lagos from the stranglehold, which she said some people never liked.
Bucknor- Akerele, apparently in reaction to some claims that Rhodes- Vivour was an Igbo, said indigenous Lagosians knew one another, adding: “I’ve known the Rhodes- Vigours for years.”
“We have somebody we know who is one of us who will call rely on and trust,” she said.
She charged Lagosians to be extra vigilant, come Saturday, saying they should ensure that they were not intimidated, and all watched to avoid a situation where the INEC officials would start handing over two ballot papers each to some voters at the polling booths.
Also speaking, Dr. Akinremi Akitoye lauded Chief George, General Olanrewaju, and other leaders of Omo Eko Pataki for their efforts in returning to Lagos what he said belonged to the state but had been sat over over the years, noting that endorsing Rhodes- Vivour, a true- born Lagosian for the governorship race was a laudable approach.
Responding to his endorsement by the group, Rhodes- Vivour said he was very proud of the group, even as he appreciated Lagosians and leaders of the group for speaking the truth to power, expressing his resolve to replicate Lagos that worked “when I am elected governor of the state.”
“I thank you Lagosians and leaders of this group for speaking the truth to power. We once had a Lagos where there were provisions of social amenities, and every parent was proud of sending their children and wards to public schools, and that I will replicate when I am elected governor of the state,” he said.
The Labour party candidate who was formerly in the PDP, said he chose to build a pathway, so as to realise his dream of becoming the governor of Lagos State.
Rhodes -Vivour, however, commended the leadership of the PDP in the state for being in the opposition all this while, saying it was not easy to be an opposition party for that long.
