By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW), an indigenous group, has declared that Governor Babajide Sanwa-Olu’s re-election bid for second term in office is based on his competency and goodwill for Lagos state rather than on the misconception being pedaled that he is running based on ethnic sentiments.
The president of YCW, Oladotun Hassan made this known while speaking on Arise Morning Show on Tuesday where he sought to clarify and debunk the claims making the rounds in public spaces that Sanwo-Olu and supporters of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) were campaigning vigorously on the grounds of that he is Yoruba.
He also stated that attacks against the candidate of Labour Party’s (LP) gubernatorial candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour on the ground that he is ibo were unfounded and that none of those attacks emanated from the camp of the APC but rather by unscrupulous elements who aims to take advantage of the moment.
He opined that the people pushing the narratives of ethnicity and tribalism as enemies of the state who intend to use such postulations to incite tribes and ethnic groups against themselves. “Ethnicity is being fanned by some precarious and ill-motivated minds.”
Describing Rhodes-Vivour as a ‘new kid on the bloc’ in the nation’s political space, he suggested that Lagos required a more experience individual to govern based on the complexity of the state.
Hassan reiterated that he is an ardent supporter of democracy which gives everyone the ability to choose their preferred candidate, however, he noted that in Nigeria, whenever a person declares his choice of political candidate, the ethnic and religious undertone rather than the competence and what the candidate brings to the table.
Expressing confidence in his candidate, Hassan said: “I believe strongly that the candidature of Sanwo-Olu is predicated on experience, his sense of humour and commitment to the development of the state as well as his heart of service.”
He further stated that if the sitting governor is re-elected, it would avail him the ample opportunity to consolidate on the good jobs he had started some of which includes projects like the Lekki deep seaport, blue rail and a host of others.
When posed with the question as to why Sanwo-Olu had not publicly condemned statements and actions against people of other ethnicity especially when it seemed to be coming from people who have aligned with his party, Hassan in its response said that the governor was a man of the people and had always addressed them when necessary.
According to him, “The Governor is a man that speaks to the media before now, he is not a man that shy away from the people no matter the situation. Even recently in the post presidential election crisis in Lagos, he addressed the media and called for peace and calm in the state.”
Hassan while condemning ethnicity and tribal bigotry urged Lagosians and political parties to promote any candidate of their choice based on democracy asked that it should be done cautiously so as not to steer up any form of crisis. This is even as he emphasized that Lagos remained a Yoruba state according to the statutory provisions of the constitution of Nigeria that recognizes Lagos as part of the South West.