Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, alongside his Lagos State counterpart, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, national leader of APC , Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC gubernatorial candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) Statewide Campaign at Amuwo Odofin where he urged all Igbos to vote massively for General Muhammadu Buhari and Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, just as he informed that the meeting of the PDP Governors, which held in Lagos on Monday, was actually moved to Lagos to support the APC.
Addressing the rally which took place at the Festac 1st Gate Open Ground, the Imo State Governor urged Igbo to vote APC for the required change that will transform Nigeria and give the people better life.
Okorocha also assured the audience that the APC is the party that Nigerians are looking up for the deliverance that the country needs saying more people are already joining the fold. He said: “Let me tell you a secret. Please don’t tell anybody o. About seven Governors who are not APC are coming to hold a meeting in Lagos to join the party”.
The Governor stressed that Lagos is and remains a blessing to the Igbo nation and that the APC remains the only party of choice for all residents of the State that will ensure that all tribes are safe.
He added that the Governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode is a very good man who would not deceive or discriminate against any tribe but would continue with the good works of Governor Raji Fashola.
Owelle Okorocha described Governor Fashola as a man who is highly revered globally as one of the best Governors the country has produced, expressing the conviction that Mr Ambode would continue the task of developing Lagos in geometric progression after Fashola.
The Imo Governor who also doubles as the Chairman of the APC Governors Forum announced the death of the Peoples Democratic Party, saying the party died the day the All Progressives Congress was formed. He said that the PDP would have been buried on the 14th of February but for the postponement, adding that irrespective of how many times the burial dates is shifted, it must surely take place.
Governor Babatunde Fashola while addressing the rally, called on all residents of Lagos to reject the PDP at the polls by ensuring that they vote massively for all APC candidates on March 28 and on April 11.
He added that in the last few weeks, some political office holders have been carrying dollars around to induce people to vote for them, noting that the questions they should ask them is where were they in the last four years?
“Who built this Maternal and Child Centre MCC for you? (pointing to the nearby MCC at Amuwo Odofin). Who is constructing this road for you? Who built the Rail at Mile 2? In the last few weeks, some people are carrying dollars around, ask when they come did you see them in the last four years. We can also keep the money a few weeks to elections, come to you and say, take the money instead of the infrastructure we have provided for you”.
“Projects like the MCC Festac Road, Ago Palace Way, Festac Link Road, Durbar Road, Imore Road, Tedi Link Bridge and similar projects is what we are doing with your money”, he added.
Fashola recalled that the late President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, would have been preparing to pack his baggage now, if he was still alive but unfortunately died midway into his tenure, giving the mantle to President Goodluck Jonathan who was not elected as President to become the second longest serving President just by luck.
He reiterated that Nigerians cannot trust him again because all the promises, like the provision of steady power supply, which he made in 2011 when he was seeking election as President, have all remained unfulfilled and he is now promising to do more when he has not fulfilled past promises.
“When General Buhari was the Head of State in Nigeria, we were exporting petrol, after he left we are importing and even kerosene is a family business today. They bring it in and subsidize it but do you get it at subsidy price? No way. That is what they said but somebody is peacefully collecting the money while you are paying fully the money for kerosene”.
“For security in the last six years, they have budgeted almost One Trillion Naira every year for security, ask the Policemen who is providing for them in Lagos, ask the Policemen who put them under insurance and ask the Policemen who is paying their allowance. Now 6 weeks to elections, they are now bringing in equipments for the military. Some months back, the Senate Committee on Navy led by Senator Chris Anyanwu was appealing for allocation of money to fund the operation of the Navy to no avail”, he explained.
The Governor said President Jonathan is the only sitting President who has lost five Governors, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and a former President who is a leader of his party without conducting an election.
He appealed to registered voters in Lagos to reciprocate the good works of his administration by doubling the 1.5 million votes with which he was re-elected in 2011 by ensuring that they cast at least Three million votes for Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to be elected as the next Governor of Lagos State.
The APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, while addressing the rally, assured that his administration would complete the expansion of the Lagos- Badagry Express Road from Orile to Badagry and also ensure that it completes work on the light rail from Okokomaiko to CMS.
He added that the Ferry Service that is expected to run from Mile 2 to several parts of the State would be continued by his administration if elected into office, adding that the Government of Mr Babatunde Fashola has embarked upon an infrastructural regeneration of Amuwo Odofin which would ensure that for the next 30 years things would never be the same again in the area.
He promised that every year, in every Local Government, his administration would construct a minimum of 20 roads and provide 20 streets with light such that by the time it goes round the 57 Local Governments, a total of 1,140 roads would have been covered for the Local Governments.
Mr Ambode promised to light up Lagos which would engender security and ensure a 24/ 7 economy , adding that his administration would improve the BRT scheme, the waterways and the train system so that people can move from one place to the other effortlessly.
The National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was also present at the rally urged all residents of Lagos and Nigerians not to be deceived again by the antics of President Goodluck Jonathan who painted the pitiable picture of a candidate from a modest background to deceive Nigerians during his first term in office.
He said Nigerians are tired of lack of stable electricity supply and do not want that to continue just as the present Federal Government has not been able to pay the insurance premium of the Military and the Police despite the dangers they are exposed to.
He urged all Nigerians to vote massively on March 28 to elect General Muhammadu Buhari and all National Assembly Candidates of the APC whilst also doing the same on April 11 for Akinwunmi Ambode in Lagos and all State House of Assembly candidates of the APC nationwide.
He commended Governor Babatunde Fashola for a job well done in Lagos in the last eight years and said there is no discrimination on ethnic basis or religious basis in schools and hospitals in Lagos State as the services are available to all and sundry.
The rally which also featured the presentation of APC flags to candidates of the party like Hon. Solomon Olamilekan for the Senate, Hon. Ganiyu Olukolu for the House of Representatives, Hon. Ramota Akinola Hassan and Hon. Sultan Adeniji Adele for the two House of Assembly seats witnessed a high turnout of party leaders, supporters and artistes.