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Tag: Sanwo-Olu

  • Lagos govt says no restriction of movement on June 29

    Lagos govt says no restriction of movement on June 29

    The Lagos State Government says that its decision of no restriction of movement on the last Saturday of June or any other month still stands.

    Mr Biodun Bamgboye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, made this known on Tuesday at Alausa, Lagos.

    Bamgboye,therefore, urged residents to ignore rumours making the rounds on the airwaves and the social media that it has reintroduced the monthly environmental sanitation exercise and vehicular restriction.

    “There is no basis for the apprehension of some people that they may have their businesses or social engagements disrupted by the vehicular restriction between the hours of 7 a.m and 10 a.m, the restriction period for previous environmental sanitation exercise.

    “One of the proactive measures undertaken by the governor on his first day in office, was to sign an Executive Order that borders on the declaration of zero tolerance for indiscriminate dumping of refuse all over the state and did not include a restriction for environmental sanitation exercise,” he said.

    Bamigboye said the governor’s position is that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise cancelled by the last administration, would only be reintroduced after necessary consultations and with the popular support of the majority of Lagosians.

    He said that the resolve of the present administration was to ensure that machinery was put in motion to have a cleaner, safer and sustainable environment for all the residents.

    “The present administration in Lagos State is not unmindful of the status of the state as the commercial nerve centre of the nation and will ensure that the general public is duly notified if and indeed when a decision is taken on the reintroduction of the exercise,” he said.

  • Sanwo-Olu makes a U-turn, says he never promised to fix Apapa gridlock in 60 days

    Sanwo-Olu makes a U-turn, says he never promised to fix Apapa gridlock in 60 days

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has made a U-turn, insisting that he never promised to solve the Apapa gridlock crisis in 60 days.

    The governor said this while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Sanwo-Olu, who was still governor-elect on May 18, 2019 had during an interactive session with his classmates at the Executive Master of Business Administration class, University of Lagos, 1998/2000 set, said that he would end the protracted gridlock in Apapa area of the state within the first 60 days of his administration.

    He said not minding the politics involved, he would rid the area of all the trailers whose operations have been responsible for the intractable gridlock.

    READ ALSO: Governors acknowledge receipt of N2trn

    Sanwo-Olu had said, “The Apapa trailer issue; it’s a campaign issue, it’s very serious. I’m going to take it very seriously. I believe that it is something that we are going to solve in the first 60 days of our government. Whatever is going to be required of us, we will take them out.

    “There is a lot of politics being played around there. But no, it cannot be the way we’ll continue to live. We cannot continue to give excuses.”

    Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, however, the governor said he never promised to clear the traffic congestion in 60 days rather, he would review what has been done on Apapa roads in 60 days.

    He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up a task force to address the Apapa issue but said a permanent solution would only be reached when the port has been decongested.

    The governor said, “Interestingly, some media houses have actually been counting down on me. They said that I mentioned during the campaign train that I was going to clear it in 60 days. I have mentioned it before, what I said was that in 60 days we would review what was done but that does not take the fact that even if people give you dateline, it’s because they want you to do well and they want you to be able to be accountable for those datelines.”

  • Lagos guber: Tribunal dismisses AD, LP petitions challenging Sanwo-Olu’s victory

    Lagos guber: Tribunal dismisses AD, LP petitions challenging Sanwo-Olu’s victory

    The Lagos State Gubernatorial Election Petitions Tribunal sitting at Ikeja, Lagos on Monday dismissed petitions filed by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Labour Party (LP) challenging the victory of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the March 9 polls.

    The tribunal’s chairman, Justice T.T. Asua, in a ruling, dismissed the petitions due to the failure of the petitioners to file applications for pre-hearing conference after the close of pleadings within seven days as prescribed by the law.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sanwo-Olu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner were listed as respondents in the petitions.

    Other respondents were the Returning Officer for The Lagos State Governorship Election, the Commissioner of Police and the Army.

    The three-man panel noted that timely application for a pre-hearing conference was a condition to the hearing of the petitions.

    It held that without the application for pre-hearing conferences, the petition cannot begin or get to the stage of judgment.

    The panel also held that Section 285(4) of the Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution was inapplicable because of the timely application for a pre-hearing conference was a precondition in election petition matters.

    According to Justice Asua, the inability of the petitioners to serve any of the respondents was not an excuse and the consequence of failure to apply timely for pre-hearing conference amounted to a dismissal of such a petition.

    Responding to the decision of the tribunal, counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Bola Aidi, thanked the tribunal for a well-considered ruling.

    Sanwo-Olu’s counsel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), had in a motion filed on May 22, raised an objection based on Paragraph 18(1)(4) of the Electoral Act.

    Owonikoko argued out that the AD and LP had not filed applications hearings for a pre-trial conference within seven-days after the close of pleadings.

    In his response dated May 26, Aidi had said Section 285(8) of the Fourth Alteration of the 1999 Constitution does not permit any electoral petition to be terminated at the interlocutory stages.

    AD and LP gubernatorial candidates, Chief Owolabi Salis and Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi, had in their petitions challenged Sanwo-Olu’s victory on the grounds that he is not competent to run as a gubernatorial candidate in the election.

    They had also alleged that the March 9 polls were characterised by violence, voting irregularities and that Sanwo-Olu had no voters card and as such cannot vote or be voted for.

  • June 12: Elected officers must be accountable, says Sanwo-Olu

    June 12: Elected officers must be accountable, says Sanwo-Olu

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Wednesday said the philosophy behind June 12 must continually be celebrated by ensuring that elected officers were accountable and every Nigerian treated equally.

    Sanwo-Olu said this at the maiden June 12 Democracy Day celebration, with theme “Democracy and Restoration of True Federalism in Nigeria”, organised by the State Government in Lagos.

    Sanwo-Olu represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said June 12 would continue to remind Nigerians that free and fair election was possible and that it also showed there was unity in diversity.

    He, however, said that if the philosophies behind June 12 would be accomplished, it would require thinking differently.

    He commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for declaring the day a national holiday, saying he exercised statesmanship to correct the nation’s historic record.

    The Chairman of the occasion, Rtd. Gen. Alani Akinrinade, said the essence of June 12 would be lost, if the people were not made the fulcrum of governance.

    He also called for restructuring that would result in having local and state police.

    “The President should not listen to those who have kicked against restructuring, and look into the political, physical and territorial re-alignment.

    “Those against it are enemies of peace and they will stop us from joining the rest of the world in the race toward development, human dignity and comfort.

    “I notice that you are trying to restructure the police, please do it snappy and do not allow it turn to another talk shop. Please commence now because four years is enough to achieve it,” Akinrinade said.

    He commended the President for his courage and respect for the voice of the people by posthumously honoring the symbol of June 12.

    “It looks just like yesterday that an election was adjudged free and fair. It is recognition for all whose loved ones died in the struggle for its actualisation,” he said.

    A former governor of Lagos State, Rear Adm. Ndubuisi Kanu, said Nigeria needed to return to how it started, where there was unity in diversity, especially if it wants to secure its future.

    Also, a former Commissioner of Information in the state, Mr Dele Alake, said that quality service delivery and eradication of poverty was key to celebration of June 12, as that was what it stood for.

  • I’ve lost weight since taking over from Ambode – Sanwo-Olu confesses

    I’ve lost weight since taking over from Ambode – Sanwo-Olu confesses

    Barely ten days after taking over the number one political seat in Lagos State, the new Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday confessed that he has started losing weight due to the demands of the office.

    The immediate past governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had handed over the state to Sanwo-Olu on the 28th of May, 2019.

    Sharing his experience so far with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Sanwo-Olu said “Well, the experience is real, it got to show that the challenges are real, they are there, it’s not a tea party. You don’t sleep and wake up and the traffic has gone down, you don’t sleep and wake up and there is no rain and that you’ve resolved Apapa gridlock, it’s real.

    “So it’s something that has psychologically prepared one for. So the best thing to do is to ensure that you are not about looking for what the other person did but it’s for Lagosians seeing you do what you said you are going to do for them.

    “You don’t do it from the office, you have to do it from the road, you have to do it so that people will see and truly know that you mean business.

    “I dare say that I have lost weight and probably I will lose a little bit more but I think it’s what the job entails and is to also ensure that you have the right team of people that would also support you.

    “So when as a leader, you show that leadership support, then the message itself will trickle down and trickle down very well and that is why we have to take that very bold idea and you’re going to see a lot.” he said

    On the level of progress concerning the Apapa gridlock, Sanwo-Olu said “It’s a work in progress. If you go to Lagos now, you will see that they have started clearing it. So for us, it’s not just to do it but to ensure that we sustain it.

    “So sustainability is critical. It’s to build a model where it’s sustainable and we are not also involving the big players we are also discussing with them – the shippers council, the shipping lines, NPA, NIMASA and all of them that are stakeholders in the conversations around port utility, we are settling it.

    “We will continue to engage ourselves and come up with a sustained resolution, not just a one off.” he added.

    Asked to speak on regional cooperation to check kidnapping and banditry in the South West, he said “It’s still work in progress and we have a southwest leader who I am sure has also addressed the press on the matter.

    “I don’t want to be at the risk of preempting what that body will do, let us wait for them to come up with a proper action plan at the regional level and let’s see what solution it will come with.” he said

    On how the issue of security the state governors discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, relates to Lagos State, he said “Security is everybody’s businesses but as a governor we also have a major responsibility to ensure that as number one security officer of the state, security of lives and properties is also paramount as the chief executive officer of a state.

    “But beyond the fact that everybody has some responsibilities or the other, just as a father has his kids, a wife is to her children as managing director is to his staff, so the state Governor also is to the entire state.

    “So It’s a work in progress for us as a state and for me in particular, it’s something that I take it very seriously. We are not just to be mouthing it but we make sure that we put resources in place and strategies.

    “We’ve been talking about domesticating and pushing part of the initiatives around security trust fund, that we’ve done.

    “We will continue to engage, and continue to identify. What are the sources, what are the underlining issues that are bringing about it? Are they economic? Is it more than that? So that we will also attack the root cause. It is something that is for us as a government since we are looking for investors.

    “We certainly must continue to be in a position where we can give confidence to all our investors that it’s a safe haven to come and invest. So for me, it’s important, it’s paramount and I thank Mr President for calling us to have this conversation” he said

     

  • Lagos residents to call hotlines for road repairs, pot holes

    Lagos residents to call hotlines for road repairs, pot holes

    The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has affirmed that the state would soon release hotlines for residents to report their road glitches to the government.

    He reaffirmed his commitment to collaborate with the people of the state for successful implementation of his administration’s policies and programmes.

    A statement on Wednesday said Sanwo-Olu spoke when he hosted the Muslim faithful in the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, to mark the 2019 Eid-el-Fitri.

    “Our public works corporation would come out and start fixing all the potholes on our roads. We would soon publish the numbers that people would be calling to notify us of wherever there are potholes in the state,” he said.

    The governor expressed cheerfulness as he joined Muslim brothers and sisters to celebrate the end of Ramadan after a period of spiritual cleansing urging them to pray for the success of his administration.

    Earlier, the wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, urged the gathering to continue with the great virtues of Ramadan, which included self-discipline, love for others, selflessness, piety and generosity.

    She noted that those were the traits for which the Holy Prophet lived, charging all to emulate them to access the full blessings of the season.

    “The important lessons for us to learn from this special season have to do with the virtues of sacrifice, self-denial, piety, love and generosity, among others.

    “Through Ramadan, we are taught to seek spiritual advancement and closeness to God by stepping away from our comfort zone, where we indulge in various acts that please us as human beings but which are not acceptable to Allah,” she said.

    She also appealed to the Muslim faithful to allow the principles reflect in all their actions, public conduct and inter-personal relations with neighbours for enduring peace and harmony in the state.

    The Chief Imam of Lagos Central Mosque, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla, expressed appreciation to the governor for receiving the Muslim community and prayed for the guidance and protection of God on Sanwo-Olu, his family and Lagosians.

     

  • Work commences on Lagos-Badagry road this month, Sanwo-Olu assures Lagosians

    Work commences on Lagos-Badagry road this month, Sanwo-Olu assures Lagosians

    Work will begin on the dilapidated Lagos-Badagry Expressway this month, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Sunday.

    The governor also declared zero-tolerance for pot-holes on the metropolis’ roads.

    He has made good his promise to improve workers’ welfare, with the provision of 15 brand new staff buses.

    Inspecting the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and other areas, Sanwo-Olu said the repair would cover Maza Maza, Iba junction up to Okokomaiko end of the road.

    The work, he said, would be completed before the end of the year or early next year.

    He said commercial activities would no longer be allowed around the National Theatre to the Maza Maza stretch so as to open up the 10-lane road for smooth traffic.

    The governor said a task force would be constituted to carry out a massive clean-up of the area.

    “We will ensure that commerce on the western axis of Lagos comes back; that is why we have come here. We should be able to complete the road from Maza-Maza to Okokomaiko before the end of the year or the beginning of next year with the needed funds to do it,” he said.

    His administration, Sanwo-Olu said, would work with the Federal Government on the Okokomaiko, Agbara to Seme Border section of the road.

    Declaring zero-tolerance for pot-holes in his remarks at the inauguration church service held for him and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, the governor said he would use the church to propagate his administration’s policies.

    He urged religious leaders to sensitise their adherrents on sanitation and driving against traffic, adding that Lagosians will decide whether or not to bring back the Saturday sanitation day.

    The governor, who started his remarks with two songs: “I have a father who will never, never fail me”, and “Oh God I am very, very grateful”, said his administration would be for all.

    “God wants us to bring about good things in government; He wants to use us as a point of contact for others who will come after us. Lagos is very important in Nigeria, if we get it right in Lagos, other states will get it right,” he said.

    In his sermon, Bishop of Lagos West Anglican Rt. Rev. Dr. James Odedeji charged the governor not to be carried away by the glamour of office or abandon God because of work. “God should always come first; people believe it is time for righteousness, God also has great expectations from you. Look unto God; be firm, fair, weigh every advise you get before taking decision , be friendly and be a father for all”.

    “You are responsible to the people but accountable to God who made the office available to you,” he said.

    Odedeji enjoined the congregation and Lagosians to remember Sanwo-

    Olu and his deputy in prayers, adding: “if they succeed we have all succeeded, we must support him positively, don’t demarket him.”

    On Friday, the Alausa Muslim community held a special Jumat service at the Secretariat Mosque for the governor and his deputy.

    The new buses, which are similar to the ones launched by President Muhammadu Buhari at Oshodi Transport Interchange in April, were parked at the secretariat, with more coming in.

    Sanwo-Olu promised to provide the workers about 40 brand new buses when he saw their old buses during his first day at work on Thursday.

    He also promised that the Resource Centre at the Olusosun Dump site, near Ojota, would be used to train and retrain youths on how to convert waste to wealth when completed.

    According to him, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) would be strengthened to collect recyclable materials for the creation of more jobs.

    “We are here today to validate the Executive Order we signed, this is where we receive 70 per cent of the waste in Lagos; the facility is 28 years old so we want to ensure that it can receive waste for the next 23 years”, he said during a visit to the dumpsite on Friday.

  • I’m confident of victory at tribunal – Sanwo-Olu

    I’m confident of victory at tribunal – Sanwo-Olu

    Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday said that he was confident of victory at the Lagos State Gubernatorial Electoral Petition Tribunal.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanwo-Olu expressed the optimism when he came to the tribunal sitting at the Ikeja High Court Complex, to sign a response to two petitions challenging his victory at the March 9 governorship poll.

    The petitions were filed by Chief Owolabi Salis of the Alliance for Democracy and Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi of the Labour Party.

    Sanwo-Olu arrived at the premises at 11.14a.m. alongside the Deputy Governor-elect, Mr Obafemi Hamzat.

    After the signing, the governor-elect told NAN: “What we came here to do is to put an official deposition to the challenge by two gubernatorial candidates.

    “We are certainly confident because Lagosians have spoken, the people went out on March 9 to cast their votes.

    “It was devoid of any form of incident, there was not one incident reported officially. We trust that the tribunal will do its job well and Lagosians will be happy.”

    Sanwo-Olu said that it was the duty of the tribunal to determine if the petitions had any merit.

    “It is a process that all of us must submit ourselves to; that is why we are here today, and we are confident that the tribunal will do its job well,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu promised that his administration would undertake judicial reforms for speedy administration of justice.

    “Lagos has championed judicial reforms in the last 20 years, and my administration will not be different.

    “We will still take bold steps to reform to better the entire process because we understand the importance of the sector,” he said.

    Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), the Head of Sanwo-Olu’s legal team, told NAN that he was also confident of victory for the governor-elect at the tribunal.

    “We are working based on the facts on ground; we have been able to review the two petitions, and we are not in any kind of doubt that we have sufficient and credible answers to all the allegations in the petitions.

    “Until today, his excellency (Sanwo-Olu) was not served any petition. The APC was served but he personally came to the tribunal today to sign for his own process.

    “Immediately he signed, he filed a reply. This is to show that we are prepared for these petitions, and we have no problem about the eventual outcome.

    “The job of the governor-elect is to defend the election and protect the mandate of the electorate; that is what he came here to do,” Owonikoko said.

  • Lagos guber: Owolabis Salis, Awamaridi challenge Sanwo-Olu’s victory at Tribunal

    Lagos guber: Owolabis Salis, Awamaridi challenge Sanwo-Olu’s victory at Tribunal

    Mr Owolabi Salis, Lagos state governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), has approached the state Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge the victory of Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu of the APC.

    The AD Chairman, Mr Kolawole Ajayi, disclosed this in Lagos on Monday at a joint news conference with the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Fagbemi Awamaridi.

    Ajayi, while making the position of the party known on the March 9 governorship election, said the summary prayer before the tribunal was that Sanwo-Olu was not fit and proper to contest the 2019 governorship election.

    “A declaration that the pronouncement of Babajide Sanwo-Olu of APC as the winner of the Governorship election is null and void and such pronouncement be set aside, because of the gross electoral fraud and/or gross electoral misconduct.

    “A declaration that the law-abiding winner of the 2019 Lagos Governorship election is Owolabi Salis of the AD and should be sworn in immediately.

    “The court shall make further order and or declaration as it deems just and proper to promote legality of elections, justice and advance the political and social economic interests of the people,” Ajayi said.

    He alleged that the election was marred with voter intimidation, vote-buying and multiple voting.

    “Multiple voting was done by APC, using PVCs of other registered voters. The sources of most of the PVCs are those that are not collected, stolen or non available.

    “Many PVCs were cloned by the ruling party, APC, and such cards were used to vote ahead of the genuine PVC card holders, contrary to the electoral laws.

    “The materials released by the CBN to the INEC Lagos in the presence of other parties agents were incomplete before the commencement of the election.

    “The incomplete materials, which include ballot papers and results sheets, were released to the ruling party, APC, outside the normal distribution system.”

    Ajayi added that there was none use of card readers in many polling units, alleging that APC, in collusion with INEC, claimed card readers were broken down.

    This, he said, denied votes for other parties, particularly AD, but allowed votes for APC.

    He said the party had gathered overwhelming evidence of the electoral fraud and had decided to take legal action through the tribunal.

    Also, Awamaridi, of the LP, said he had approached the tribunal, seeking for the outright cancellation of the election.

    He said the election was marred with fraudulent practices and irregularities.

    “The Labour Party and the Alliance for Democracy right now are in the tribunal with petitions in various forms and we have decided to announce to the world that the electoral process in Lagos State is still subsisting and we are on.

    “In most of the polling units, our agents were not given result sheets,” he claimed.

  • Lagos Gov-elect Sanwo-Olu receives Certificate of Return

    Lagos Gov-elect Sanwo-Olu receives Certificate of Return

    The Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says better times are ahead for Lagos residents, with good things in the offing for them when he comes on board.

    Sanwo-Olu made the promise after collecting his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, were presented their certificates of return by INEC at the commission’s office in Sabo, Yaba.

    “We are taking up this leadership and saying that the confidence that you have put in us will not be put to shame. We will not misuse the confidence that you have put in us,”Sanwo-Olu said.

    He told the residents of the state to prepare for better times, assuring: ”Good things are in the offing for all of us. We know that Lagosians truly deserve the best.”

    The governor-elect called on his opponents that lost during the March 9 election to support him in making the state enviable, assuring them of his resolve to run an inclusive government.

    “I want to extend congratulations to all the other 44 candidates that were not so successful, but I dare say that victory to one is victory to all.

    “It is victory to all of us, it is a victory for the entire Lagosians. It is a call to order, it is a call that there is no victor no vanquished. All of us are on the same pedestal, that is, to make life a lot better for our people.

    “That is why on the campaign train, we said we are going to run an inclusive government, we will bring about strategies that will take Lagos to greater heights.

    “We are using this unique opportunity to open our doors; we don’t even have a door again, the doors are open for all our other colleagues in the other parties that we are one and the same,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu urged his opponents to join him in building capacity of children, the aged, the youth and women.

    “Let us build the schools, the hospitals, traffic management, the public transportation, the environment to make Lagos a cynosure of the entire African race.

    “It is not about Femi and I, it is not about my own family, it is about reenacting and recharging a true Lagos that all of us have stood for.

    “We are using this opportunity to tell our colleagues in other parties the doors are open, that we are one and the same,” he said.

    In his speech, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, the INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Ondo, Ogun and Lagos States, described the victory of Sanwo-Olu as an opportunity given by God to serve.

    He told Sanwo-Olu that by his election, he was coming on board as governor of Lagos State and not of his party.

    “Lagosians expect you to discharge your responsibility in honesty and integrity, and dedication to duty.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that you have the qualities to do all these. Lagosians are discerning people; when they make choice, they know what they are doing.”

    According to him, INEC is desirous of improving the electoral process and of deepening democracy in Nigeria, which requires the cooperation of all and sundry.

    Earlier in his address, Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Lagos State, said that the March 9 gubernatorial election that produced Sanwo-Olu was keenly contested by 45 contestants.

    Olumekun, who noted that the governorship election was free of rancour and was adjudged credible, peaceful, free and fair, thanked all stakeholders for their cooperation, support and synergy.

    The INEC boss, however, decried the poor turnout of voters during elections, saying such is not acceptable in a sophisticated society like Lagos.

    “I wish to admonish the leadership of political parties, pressure groups, civil society organisations, religious leaders, etc to rise up to this occasion in the area of voter sensitisation, education and mobilisation,” he said.

    Olumekun advised Sanwo-Olu to avoid blaming the outgoing administration.

    “The journey to a better Lagos is laid squarely in your court,” he said.