THE mantra of continuity being propagated by the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, in Lagos State was recently spread further across some local councils in the state in a manner that left party supporters more confident about electoral victory.

By Charles Kumolu

During the various campaign stops in Lagos West and East senatorial districts a fortnight ago, the enthusiasm of APC faithful showed that the message of remarkable sustenance was not lost on the people.

From Ibeju-Lekki, down to Surulere, Ajeromi, Mile 2, Badagry and Seme where the campaign train berthed, the need to use the next four years to consolidate on the progress being witnessed in the state, was emphasized.

At Badagry, Ambode was welcomed by an ecstatic crowd that comprised of party members and residents, who came out to lend support to him.

On hand to welcome Ambode and his running mate, Dr. (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule, was a former Head of Service in the state, Chief Sunny Ajose.

Amid chants of ‘’Sai Buhari, Sai Ambode’’ , the governorship hopeful pledged to ensure that the people of the community are carried along, if elected.

He specifically said the Badagry Division, which is one of the five divisions that make up the state, would witness rapid development, especially in the areas of infrastructural development and job creation.

Infrastructural development

Akinwunmi Ambode

Top among his plans for Badagry, is the multi-billion naira Mile 2-Badagry expressway and the light rail project, which he pledged to complete.

“The future of tourism in Lagos State is here. This is also an important base for agro-economic development. Our administration will place a lot of attention in these areas to ensure that Badagry Local Government and every area around here experience a new layer in the type of developments they are already witnessing,” he stated.

At Ibeju-Lekki, the massage was not different, as the APC team stressed the reasons an APC government should be re-elected.

The retired Accountant General of the state said:   “While the whole world acknowledges the giant strides of the last 16 years in Lagos, due to the people-oriented programmes and creative management of resources, which are succeeding in making Lagos a true mega city-state, the international community, like most Nigerians at home and abroad, are unanimous in rejecting the current maladministration that is going on in Abuja.”

He believes that while Lagos is working and deserves continuity, the government at the centre needs the type of change that a Buhari-Osinbajo ticket promises, in order to redirect the affairs of Nigeria.

Displaying his deep knowledge of the economic side of governance, Ambode said the country is in a precarious economic state, adding that the current leadership at the national level should not be re-elected for that reason.

Nonetheless, he assured the people of Ibeju-Lekki that an airport and seaport would be constructed in the area, if he was elected. At a town hall meeting in Surulere, Ambode reiterated his pledge of establishing an Office of Civic Engagement.

The idea, he explained, was informed by his belief that the middle class needs to be connected to the state government.

Those in this class, he said, would benefit from the state government in the area of honing their skills, either at home or abroad, in addition to having access to the proposed N25bn Employment Trust Fund.

A prominent aspect of the campaign stops, was that it came with various royal blessings, which analysts think would brighten Ambode’s chances of wining the April 11governorship polls.

Commenting on the significance of the campaign, Communications Director of Ambode Campaign Organisation, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said 24 hours is sometimes not enough to further push out the message of continuity and Ambode’s thought-out plans that aimed at empowering the 20 million citizens of the state in the next four years.

The renewed campaign , he said, showed the strength and popularity of the APC candidate. “Ambode is on a familiar ground, he was the only aspirant that toured every local government in the run-up to the primary election last year. And his promise then was that he would knock on every door and campaign on every street. This is why the party’s rallies took him round all the five divisions and local governments before the elections were postponed,’’ he stated.

Ayorinde further said: “With these additional six weeks due to the postponement, he is back on the road getting acquainted with the people all over again and the massive turn-out and acceptance confirm the obvious that this is the man of the people who is destined to serve.

‘’The rallies and town hall meetings, which will run till April , perfectly compliment the world-class communications campaign by the APC candidate that is widely acknowledged as arguably the most impactful among in this electioneering process.”