There is no doubt that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) , governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has chosen to ignore the admonition of one of his opponents for the 2019 general elections, Mr. Babajide Sanwa-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who in response to the former’s fault-finding tweet on the latter’s TVC appearance, counseled Agbaje to make his campaign an issue based one.
Agbaje, who most Lagosians who were crossed and are still dissatisfied with the way the incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, was denied the right of first refusal by his party elders, had looked up to Agbaje, who has now become a serial governorship contestant, to seize the opportunity and give Sanwa-Olu a run for his money at the polls next February. But to their chagrin, Agbaja is daily ‘falling their hands.’ Agbaje has refused to rise above petty beer parlour rumors, gossips and petty accusations.
He first belled the cat in his accusation and counter-accusations journey when he told Lagosians that his posters and billboards have been defaced by miscreants whom he suspected were the agents of Sanwa-Olu and his party, the APC. That was some weeks ago and as expected, the alarm or accusation elicited some sympathy in his favour from some Lagosians who called for a probe into such practice.
Just before the dust raised by the accusation settled, Agbaje promised to free the state, which is reputed to be the richest state in Nigeria, from bondage, which he said the ruling APC and its leaders had thrown the state into since 1999. A promise, which the APC leadership sharply countered by telling him that the state is not a conquered territory nor in bondage. That was not all, he took a swipe on the former governor of the state and APC; telling all that cared to read his personal grouse with the former governor. All of these appeared diversionary from the main issues of the state, which his campaign ought to address.
The response by the leadership of APC in the state that the state is not in bondage, was not enough for him to slow- down and continue to preach to Lagosians what he will do differently for them if elected into office next year, instead he took a swipe on the natural ruler of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
But while he is dissipating energy and the scarce resources at his disposal in attacking and accusing his opponents, his main opponent for the job, Sanwa-Olu, has been busy telling Lagosians why he is the right man for the job and that they should cast their vote for him next year.
He has virtually visited them everywhere; in the market, played draught in the street corner with them, visited the sick at the hospital. Interacted with Christians and Muslims faithful and other stakeholders and opinion leaders.
While all these are happening in the camp of Sanwa-Olu, Agbaje and his PDP chieftains are merely idling about waiting for another opportunity to adorn their accusation cap.
The latest is his tweet on Monday, December 17, 2018, that the Lagos State Signage Agency (LSSA) officials have been defacing and removing his posters and billboard. Well too bad if it is true that LASSA officials are the ones doing that but this is one accusation too many and Agbaje is gradually sounding like a broken record. While the action of those defacing posters and billboards is condemnable, some residents who spoke to us in Iju area of Lagos and its environs are also of the opinion that he should also find time to tell them what he intends to do if elected.
According to a mechanic who gave his name as Adeyemi Badmus “look at this our Iju area, we have not seen any presence of government here since 1999 till date. The only thing I can call dividend of democracy here is the median erected on Pen Cinema/Iju road by Asiwaju. Even the road which they claimed to have reconstructed in the days of Fashola has failed completely. Let Agbaje tell us what he has for us and stop this blame game. We are tired.”
Well, if Badmus is tired of hearing of the accusation another Lagosian who simply gave his name as John is of the opinion that Agbaje and his party are descending the slope very fast.
“The support base of Agbaje as at 2015 was nonindigenes but not anymore now. He has allowed that to slip off his fingers. While he is crying about posters, Sanwa-Olu is engaging Ndigbo resident in Lagos in a consultation and getting their endorsement. While he is talking of freeing Lagos from bondage, Sanwa-Olu is showing people in the street the stuff he is made off in a draught board game. The man has run out of steam joor, 2015 was his best chance.”
