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… Extends hands of fellowship to Rhodes-Vivour, Jandor
By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has held that his re-election for a second term was a confirmation that Lagosians chosen competence and experience, on the march to true greatness.
Sanwo-Olu stated this while giving a victory speech for his re-election, after being declared as the 15 elected Governor of the state by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governor and his party, All Progressive Congress (APC) were declared winner of the state gubernatorial election at 1.15 a.m., haven scored 762,134 valid votes to Labour Party(LP’s) 312,329 and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP’s) 62,449 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Sanwo-Olu, expressed his readiness to work with other contestants in the just concluded Governorship polls, saying no winner, no vanquished.
He said that elections were over now, and governance must continue, and the dividends of democracy must continue to be delivered, as there must be no break, and no time-off.
According to him, his government will keep all the promises made to the people of Lagos state.
“A few minutes ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission formally announced the final results of the 2023 Lagos State Governorship election.
“I have nothing but deep gratitude to you, the people of Lagos State, for overwhelmingly returning us for a second term.
“The outcome of this election affirms that once again Lagosians have chosen competence and experience, on this march to true greatness.
“Four years ago, you gave me cause to deliver a similar victory speech, and in the time since then I have been conscious of the great responsibility
upon me and the administration.
“I have worked very hard to live up to this responsibility of governing the most important subnational economy in all of Africa.
“We certainly could not have done this by ourselves. What we have achieved, both in the last four years and in the just-concluded election, could not have happened without a long list of supporters and partners.
First and foremost, let me thank the Almighty God, to whom we owe our very breath, and who has spared our lives to see this day.
“I am also very grateful to all of you the good people of Lagos. Everyone, not just the people who voted for us, or those registered to vote.
“Lagos is what it is today because of each and every one of you, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender or age.
“We are a vibrant and thriving hub of commerce, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation and culture because of the diversity that has come to define us, over the decades and the centuries. Thank you.
“I want to thank all our supporters, who worked day and night to take our message of competence and accomplishment far and wide.
“Many of you did this not because you knew me personally, but because you identified with the progressive vision that we represent and believe in the message of continuity that we advocated.
“Immense gratitude also goes to the leadership and members, at national, state and local levels, of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), a true force for progressive politics not just in Nigeria but across Africa.
“To the President-Elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the man who kicked off this journey to Greater Lagos, I say a very big thank you. You have a lot to be proud of, and I am very pleased that Lagos State will continue to be aligned with the Center, under your watch as our President.
“To our Leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, thank you for your commitment to leaving a legacy of fairness and of electoral outcomes that reflect the will of the people. Thank you also for the unprecedented support to Lagos State in the last eight years.
“My dear wife, Ibijoke, thank you for being my loyal partner on this journey, and for holding the fort excellently on the home front.
“My Partner and Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, thank you. We have worked as a team for the last four years, fulfilling our promises to the people of Lagos State, and I am delighted that we are able to continue this journey as partners for another four years” , Sanwo-Olu said .
The governor commended fellow contestants for their participation in the democratic process, and their contribution to creating a truly competitive political space in Lagos.
According to him, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, there is no victor, no vanquished.
“To all my fellow contestants, I salute your participation in this democratic process, and your contribution to creating a truly competitive political space in our dear State. Please remember that there is no victor, no vanquished, in the true spirit of sportsmanship”, the added.
Sanwo-Olu said that during the course of the campaign, sadly there was a lot of divisive rhetoric used, as some tried to make the elections about ethnicity and religion but when in fact they should only have been about capacity, competence and experience.
”We saw hateful and hurtful ethnic profiling by fellow citizens – which is totally out of place for us as Lagosians, the proud residents of West Africa’s pre-eminent melting pot.
”I want to recognise and salute all of the multitudes of residents who refused to succumb to those who sought and still seek to divide us with their unguarded and inciting comments.
”Unfortunately, there are reports of skirmishes in some local government areas wherein some citizens were reported to have been injured. We strongly condemn these reprehensible incidents – that is definitely not who we are as a people.
”The relevant law enforcement and security agencies have been directed to investigate these breaches of the law, and to ensure that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.
”Now that the elections are over, we must reaffirm the spirit of solidarity and togetherness that binds us as Lagosians.
”As I said in my final pre-election address, we have a lot of work to do in working and moving past the divisive rhetoric that has shaped the course of this election cycle,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that it was very importantly, and this could not be over emphasised that what united all as residents was far more important and substantial than whatever differences existed among all.
He said that the true Lagos spirit remained a welcoming, embracing, liberal one, not a divisive, exclusionary one.
”In the days and weeks and months ahead, we will continue to do everything to demonstrate and amplify this,” the governor said.
