Fashola Blasts Jonathan

Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday blasted President Goodluck Jonathan for paralysing traffic in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria during his campaign rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS.

All roads leading to the TBS yesterday were blocked by security personnel, while motorists spent hours in the traffic gridlock.

Right from Oshodi to Third Mainland Bridge, Oworonsoki, Ikorodu Road, Eko Bridge, Inner and Outer Marina, Lagos Island, Obalende, Onikan, Ahmadu Bello Way, Ikoyi, the gridlock was unprecedented.

Reacting to the gridlock, Fashola, who flagged off campaign for the three senatorial districts in Lagos lamented the suffering Lagosians went through because of Jonathan’s campaign in the state.

“Because they are coming to campaign in Lagos today, the PDP has blocked the entire roads leading to Lagos Island. There is a heavy traffic congestion in different parts of the state because Jonathan is coming to campaign.

“That is how they subject people to untold suffering. Lagosians are suffering in the traffic caused by the security operatives of President Jonathan. If you vote for Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, you vote for suffering. We have a lot of resources, but have nothing to show for it,” he stated.

During Fashola’s campaign at the Gbagada Open Field, he challenged Jonathan to give account of how $500 billion accruing from oil sale in the last five years was spent.

He stated that oil revenue never had impact on the country’s social amenities and infrastructur.

“The Federal Government has made $500 billion from oil sale.We should ask the ruling party how the revenue was spent. The roads are bad. Social amenities are decayed. Electricity is not stable.”

The ruling PDP has been in power for twelve years, and has not been able to make them function,” he said.

According to Fashola, “the PDP government has been in power since 1999, and has no solution to a myriad of challenges facing the country. It cannot even refurbish Murtala Mohammed International Airport. The time of PDP is up. We must no longer allow the ruling party to continue lead us on the path of failure and darkness.”

The governor told the crowd that rather than vote for the PDP, Lagosians should cast their votes for the ACN’s presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and his running mate, Mr. Fola Adeola, saying they “are true agents of positive change” whom he said the people of Nigeria should vote in the next election.

He also urged the people of Lagos “to throw their weight behind the candidacy of Ribadu and Adeola” at the rally, which was attended by the party’s leaders and candidates contesting for different elective offices including former Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, senatorial candidate (Lagos East), Mr. Gbenga Ashafa, Hon. Dayo Bush-Alebiosu and Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai representing Kosofe and Oshodi federal constituencies.

“The entire people of Nigeria, irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations need to rise against governance failure, which the ruling party has represented in the last twelve years. Ribadu and Adeola are agents of positive change. Vote for the duo of Ribadu and Adeola, both of whom have been tested and performed creditably well in their chosen fields. This is the time to change the destiny of Nigeria Fashola added.

Speaking at another campaign held at Agege Stadium, the governor charged the six and half million voters registered during the voter registration to vote for the ACN for them to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

“The state has achieved a lot of transformation over the years because its budgets have been performing maximally. Between 2001 and now, our budget has been performing at 71 percent while that of the Federal Government has been performing at 30 percent,’’ he said.

Fashola assured that an ACN government at the federal level would replicate its feat in Lagos by introducing free education in the country and also motivate men of the Police Force and empower them to fight crime effectively.

He stated that the ACN-led government would encourage agriculture, adding that this administration would ensure that farm produce attracted maximum profit which would put more money in the pockets of every farmer.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga