Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has described Ayodele Fayose’s victory at the last weekend governorship election in Ekiti State as frightening to democracy in view of the f...act that people were induced with money to vote.Fashola, who spoke with newsmen after a closed door meeting with Vice Chairmen of the 57 councils in Lagos, held at the State House, Marina, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria said the election is not foreclosed.
The governor lamented that the Ekiti people voted for Fayose as a result of money, while ignoring the achievement of Governor Kayode Fayemi in the state.
“Even if Governor Fayemi is speaking too much English they don’t understand, would they say his deputy and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly are speaking too much English too? It is a worrisome lesson to learn. However, the governor- elect still has criminal case to answer.
“They have not told us what will happen to that case. Is that consistent with the behaviour of the people? There are issues that cropped up to ponder on and questions to ask. No incumbent governor has lost election like this in this country to my understanding. Is this the way to reward a governor that embarked on massive infrastructural development in Ekiti State,” he asked.
“So, the lessons that are supposedly coming out of Ekiti are frightening lessons for me. Lesson about whether the people of Ekiti are really saying that this was all about money and rice. This is because that is very easy to do. Developmental work is difficult to initiate and to execute. And developmental work that brings on change which is what every election asks for, will also from time to time occasion debates and policy thrust. And which legitimately must be criticized.
“But it must be a very dangerous message to simply suggest that once you give people money, then this is the way it will happen. It is frightening for me in a democracy. But it raises the question of what we have been doing for seven years. Should we just be giving money and when people ask about security, we say that we have giving you money, go and rent your own security?
“When people ask for healthcare, we say that you have collected money. Is that the model for development? These are lessons and I am not suggesting that we monopolise the debate about what the best policy is. But I am saying that there must be another side. There must be a debate. The debate that recognizes that development comes at a cost. And that even those that are privileged to serve, don’t claim to have a monopoly of ideas,” he added.
Pls, speak for the pple of Lagos and not the pple of Ekiti.
ReplyDeleteBabatunde Fashola: Are you really saying that your Yoruba brothers and sisters are so miserable that they sell their consciences for a few coins and cups of rice?. Babatunde, do you mean that the Yoruba has no head? Babatunde Fashola, are you insulting your own brothers and sisters because of APC? Babatunde, these people are not that stupid. They know what they want. You should be suffering from the BETTER PEOPLE FALLACY in believing that you know all and they know nothing. MAN DOES NOT LIVE BY THE APC ALONE. Yorubas in EKITI are no fools and have no lesson to learn from someone who laughs at them.
ReplyDeleteIt is a commom saying that ekiti pple are the most read in yoruba land, so there is no question as to wether the electorate heard Fayimi's big grammar. The truth is that the common man is denied the benefits of our democracy in most APC governed states. So they have made their choice. Analyze it!
ReplyDeleteIf what Esq Fashola is saying is true, then the Ekiti Governor elect is even better. In 2007, during Fashola's first tenure quest, I was asked to submit my name to his agents soliciting for votes then. We were asked further (after he won) to text what he would do for us in our area. I texted the unending Ojo Barracks and Volkswagen hold-up/traffic. Surprisingly, till today, (7 years after), my name I submitted did not yield any result and the Ojo intractable traumatic traffic is still there and Esq Fashola is about leaving office as governor. Yes he should have a good cause to fear APC losing out into-to in the general elections in 2015. Boko Haram has dealt with non-muslims & muslims in Nigeria - and APC is regarded as their sponsor. Why should he not fear?
ReplyDeleteFashola, don't worry. Pdp ll take over lagos state and then we ll see d real development.
ReplyDeleteDevelopment at the expense of the wellbeing of the people is not only unreasonable but callous. Lagosian pay through their nose to settle water bill, tenement rate, taxes, tolls on roads and bridges, fraudulent levies on shops not built by the government and for which tenement rates have been paid, and sundry levies by a government that is like determined to impoverish the people. No doubt Lagosians will bail themselves from the shylocks very soon.
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