* Lagos is too big for a novice – Hamzat

By Dapo Akinrefon

LAGOS – MINISTER of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday, joined Kwara indigenes resident in Lagos State to endorse Governor Babaji Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat for a second term, saying it is payback time.

The Minister, who spoke at an event organised by past and present political office holders in Lagos, urged Kwara indigenes to troop out enmasse and support all candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, vying for office on March 11.

Other notable personalities present at the event include a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Jide Jimoh; a former lawmaker, Mr Bashir Bolarinwa; Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees of Kwara indigenes in Lagos, Mr Emilagba Jubrin and chairman, Kwarans in Lagos, Mr Rafiu Babajide among others.

While endorsing the governor, his deputy and other APC candidate vying for office on Saturday, Alhaji Mohammed said Kwara indigenes have benefitted from Lagos.

He said: “My people have thrived in Lagos; our ancestors made their fortunes in Lagos and used the proceeds to develop our various communities at home. We, their descendants, are also benefiting from the generosity of Lagos State. The people of Lagos State have given my people opportunities they have not been given elsewhere. We have and we are still holding politicial offices from Chief of Staff, Commissioners, members of the House of Representatives, House of Assembly, council chairmen and other positions. This is, therefore, payback time for the people of Lagos State from us.

“We have gathered here to reassure Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the President-elect; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the people of Lagos that we are not ingrates.

“We have assembled real voters, who have their PVCs and are a minute percentage of our people in Lagos State. We will spare nothing to ensure victory for Governor Sanwo-Olu in his re-election bid on Saturday.

“We the people of Kwara State are found everywhere in Lagos State. We are doing this for ourselves because we have been the major benefactors of Asiwaju Tinubu’s benevolence. We will continue to look up to our leader.

“I am a leader, who has benefitted immensely from Asiwaju Tinubu and this is an opportunity to vote massively for him.”

Lagos is too big for a novice – Hamzat

In his response, the deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who represented Governor Sanwo-Olu at the event, said: “Lagos is too big to be an experimental state. Lagos is too big for a novice and somebody who is learning to come and take control.

“So, we have a governor in Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a deputy governor in Obafemi Hamzat, who understand the dynamics of the state. He understands the necessities of this state.

“We don’t need to experiment with people who have never controlled anything in their life.

Lagos is too important and we, therefore, urge Lagosians for continuity and for them to vote for the APC on Saturday. “There is no cause for any alarm, people should not be scared of coming out. Some people said because they saw soldiers on Election Day, they should not be scared of coming out. They should come out and vote and ensure that their votes count. Everybody should go out and vote.”