The attention of APC stakeholders in Lagos state has been drawn to a publication credited to one professor Ishaq Akintola, the Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) where he espoused the importance of fielding a Muslim governor in 2027 considering equity and fair play.
Ordinarily we would have ignored the said publication but in order for it not to create an atmosphere of distortion of facts, for justice and equity and to forestall attempt at polarizing our dear state into religious crisis and conflagration, we deem it very necessary to respond with this rebuttal in order to properly guide the undiscerning public.
Hence, it has become imperative putting facts in the right perspective.
We all witnessed the giant developmental strides in Lagos state dating from the fourth Republic when our current president Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the governor of Lagos state in 1999 and as a Muslim servanthood through effective service delivery to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the masses took the front burner which he raised the bar of governance for two successive terms. Lagos has been highly concerned about improving the quality of lives and infrastructure in the metropolis. To consolidate this gain, he handed over power to another Muslim in person of former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola who has been under his tutelage before then as the chief of staff. Of course this era of another two terms also witnessed further transformation of our dear state. Babatunde Raji Fashola then handed over power to a Christian Akinwumi Ambode who again further transformed the length and breath of our dear state but served only one term of four years before he successfully handed over power to another Christian, the incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu who is keeping faith with the developmental strides and currently in his second term.
From the historical narration above since 1999, it’s obvious that Muslims have been at the saddle for 16 years as against 12 years that our Christian counterparts would complete by 2027. It’s therefore only normal for justice, equity and fair play that a vibrant Christian governor should be embraced to complete the 4 years shortfall by 2031 so that everyone in Lagos irrespective of religious persuasion will have a sense of belonging.
Albeit In Lagos we are known for religious tolerance and excellent performance in governance, it’s apparent even in other civilised climes that religion and personal beliefs should take the backstage which informed the success of the incumbent Muslim-Muslim ticket of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 Presidential election.
Therefore, the debate regarding who should be our governor in 2027 should be devoid of religious coloration, rather, we should project technocracy and persons who have been tested to have the intellectual acumen and the 21st century technological grasp as evident in the personality of former governor Akinwumi Ambode. He was able to weather the storm and unbuttoned all obstacles of performance to make sure that life in lagos is enriched with giant performance models second to none in the whole of sub Sahara Africa. Little wonder that the song on the lips of every average Lagosian now is “bring back Ambode”.
We wish to caution and advise all those towing this ladder of discord to desist and promote an egalitarian society where justice, fair play and equity should be the norm and where performance and competence for the betterment of all of us in Lagos should be the only yardstick.
#Lagos2027
#Lagos2027forCompetence
#BringBackAmbode
Akeem Adeleke
On behalf of Lagos APC stakeholders
