Our Expectations From Sanwo-Olu, Others— Lagos Residents

 

Some Lagos residents has urged the governor-elect in the state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and incoming lawmakers to make welfare of the people their priority when they assume office. They spoke in separate interviews in Lagos.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Sunday declared Sanwo-Olu winner of the March 9 governorship election and returned him elected. Sanwo-Olu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 739,445 votes to defeat Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 206,141 votes, and other contestants in the election. Forty winners have also emerged in the State House of Assembly elections conducted in Lagos on the same day.

A Primary school teacher, Mr Timileyin Adenekan, said that the elected candidates should endeavor to keep various promises they made during campaigns and make citizens’ well-being their major concern.

Adenekan said: “The elected candidates should not concentrate or allocate all resources to construction of bridges, but they should also invest in agriculture to ensure food sufficiency for people. “They should also consider people that live below poverty line, and they should ensure payment of civil servants salaries as and when due.”

Adenekan scored INEC high in the conduct of the 2019 elections, saying he believed the elections were largely free and fair. “The elections were free and fair in most parts of the country, even though some political parties still engaged in vote-buying,” he said

Oyinwanwa Phillips, a student, said expected Sanwo-Olu and the incoming legislators to carry out their duties effectively. He said that candidates elected at the federal level should also work together to ensure greater success of the anti-corruption war: “The elections were good, although there was violence in some places; but we thank God it was successful.

“I expect the newly elected candidates to carry out their duties accurately. When they assume office, the elected candidates should provide basic amenities to citizens and improve infrastructure to provide conducive environment for investment, business and location of manufacturing industries.

“I also urge the Federal government not to relent in its anti-corruption war in the country. Government should support small and medium scale business owners financially through grants and loans, and also educational systems must be upgraded to improve education standard in the country,” Phillips said.

Mr Francis Duru, a photographer and graphic designer, said newly elected candidates at both state and federal levels should try their best not to make life difficult for commoners, and strive to achieve better than their predecessors.

“Government should invest in the economic sector to provide employment and improve standard of living in the country,” he said.

Duru urged the federal government to balance national security with human right imperatives, and enhance safety of residents in parts affected by insurgence and herdsmen killing. Miss Aminat Raimi, a student, appealed to Sanwo-Olu to pay attention to areas where Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode did not pay enough attention to, and work on them. She urged him and the others elected to keep the promises they made during campaigns and make life better for the people

Raimi said that the election that brought them in was free and fair, and commended security agencies for maintaining peace during the exercise. Mr Godwin Idamarhare, a drycleaner, said that he would like the incoming governor to deal with unemployment, food shortage and bad roads in the state. At the federal level, he said that the fight against corruption should be intensified and those found wanting should be prosecuted.

Mr Pelumi Baba, an artist, urged Sanwo-Olu to work on the education sector and improve lives of people at the grassroots. He advised him to keep his campaign promises and manifesto, which earned him the people’s votes.