Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that his re-election at the just concluded exercise affirmed the choice of the Lagos electorate to choose competence, experience, and track record as the state marched toward a new democratic dispensation.
Sanwo-Olu was declared the winner of the Governorship Election, which was held last Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having polled a total of 762,134 votes to defeat, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), who scored 312,329 votes to place second, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. AbdulAzeez Olajide Adediran popularly called Jandor came third, polling 62,449 votes.
The governor said this while giving his acceptance speech, saying that his victory attested to Lagosians’ faith in APC as their party of choice, just as he dedicated his success to all ‘hardworking” residents of the state.
The governor, who noted that his administration had, since inception, worked hard to live up to its responsibility of providing the best leadership and trackable record of achievements in the “most important” sub-national economy on the continent, assured that his second term would bring about consolidation of his administration’s development agenda and witness the delivery of legacy projects that would raise the development profile of Lagos.
The governor expressed his gratitude to God, and the good people of the state, declaring that “Lagos is at this enviable stage of development today because of every one of you, regardless of your ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender or age.”
“We thank the Almighty God, to whom we owe our every breath and who has spared our lives to see this day. I am grateful to all the good people of Lagos. I salute every citizen, not just those who voted for us or those registered to vote. Lagos is at this enviable stage of development today because of each one of you, regardless of your ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender, or age. We are a vibrant and thriving hub of commerce, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, and culture because of the diversity that has defined us over the decades and centuries.
“I thank all our supporters, who worked day and night to take our message of competence and accomplishment far and wide. Many of you did what you did not because you knew me personally but because you identified with the progressive vision we represent and believe in the message of continuity we advocated. Now that the elections are over, we must re-affirm the spirit of solidarity and togetherness that binds us as Lagosians. Governance must continue and dividends of democracy must continue to be delivered. There must be no break, there will be no time off. We will keep all the promises we have made to all Lagosians,” he said.
Speaking further, Governor Sanwo-Olu saluted his opponents’ courage to participate in the democratic process, saying their contribution created a competitive participation that reflected the essence of democracy and electioneering.
This was just as he extended his hand of fellowship to his opponents, saying there was no victor and no vanquished, urging them to accept the electoral outcome in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
The governor, however, condemned what he called “divisive rhetoric” used by opposing parties during the campaign, noting that it was wrong for anyone to attempt to make the election about ethnicity and religion when it should have been about capacity, competence, and experience.
He acknowledged and saluted all the Lagosians who refused to succumb to those who sought and still seek to divide them with their unguarded and inciting comments.
“We saw hateful and hurtful ethnic profiling by fellow citizens, which is totally out of place for us as Lagosians – the proud residents of West Africa’s pre-eminent melting pot. I recognize and salute all the Lagosians who refused to succumb to those who sought and still seek to divide us with their unguarded and inciting comments,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu condemned a pocket of violence that marred the election in a few polling units, which led to some residents sustaining injuries, saying relevant security agencies had been directed to investigate the breaches and ensure those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.
The governor extended his gratitude to the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for supporting his government since its inception, pledging that Lagos would remain aligned with the centre under Tinubu’s leadership.
The governor equally hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the “unprecedented support” to Lagos in the last eight years, thanked him for his commitment to leaving a legacy of fairness and equitability in the nation’s electoral system, expressing the belief that posterity would judge him “well for his commitment to a fair and equitable country.”
