Fashola Queries The Shuffling Of Police Officers In Meeting With EU Mission

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola( SAN) on Friday received members of the European Union Observation Mission in Nigeria 2011 led by the Chief Observer, Mr Alojz Peterle , expressing the hope that all of the right things being said about the General Elections would be followed by the right actions by affected parties.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the Lagos House, Marina when he received the team said with a few hours to the elections, the disposition of the government at the centre is not helping matters as it is demonstrating intolerance of the opposition.

The Governor said the success of an election cannot be measured only in terms of the actions of voters but also on developments on security, asking why he has been made to operate with two different Police Commissioners within three weeks.The Governor added that he keeps wondering what experience and knowledge of the terrain such new helmsmen would bring when security is largely a local issue, adding that such actions gives him concern.

Governor Fashola added that those in power should know that this is not a party issue but a national issue which should be approached in a dispassionate way.The Governor emphasized that the party in the majority at this election period must understand that it is not about them alone but about all of us, stressing that they need to be more tolerant of the views of others which maybe expressed through the opposition.

He described the 2011 elections as an opportunity to correct what happened in 2007 and turn the unpleasant experience into a pleasant one, adding that Nigerians want democracy because they have experienced what undemocratic governments bring about.

Governor Fashola added that this explains why the number of people who wanted to participate in the electoral system grew from four million in 2007 to six million inspite of the fact that it took three weeks for people to participate in a process that led to being registered.

The Governor also said he expects Nigerians to turn out enmasse on the election dates, expressing the conviction that the monitors will have good experience as they monitor the polls.He explained that part of the reason why the people choose to participate in the electoral process is because they have seen what the present administration in Lagos is doing by impacting on their lives and as such they want to get involved.

He said one common political denominator in Nigeria is that the religious and ethnic differences of the people have palled into insignificance such that today Nigerians are closer to themselves than they were 40 years ago due to inter-marriages.

Governor Fashola in response to an enquiry from the Chief Observer explained what constitutes the greatest challenge to his administration as the migratory population of people who come into Lagos and put enormous pressure on the State’s infrastructure.He was of the opinion that as better governance gets to more states in the country, the pressure will be removed from Lagos.

Governor Fashola added that while the population of the country has grown considerably, there has been no commensurate growth in infrastructure which ultimately affects the quality of life of the people.Speaking earlier, the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission to Nigeria 2011 and a former Slovenia Prime Minister, Mr Alojz Peterle commended the efforts being made by all stakeholders in Nigeria to prevent violence during the elections.

He also echoed the views of many others that the successful conduct of the 2011 elections is very important for the image of Nigeria and its position in this part of the world.Mr Peterle expressed the hope that the observer group will have a good ground based on what it observes to give a favourable report about the elections in Nigeria.

Mr Alojz Peterle, Slovene member of the European Parliament since 2004 is currently a member of Foreign Affairs committee and Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

Also at the meeting with Governor Fashola were the Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu,  Special Adviser on Political and Legislative matters, Hon Abdullateef Abdulhakeem and some other members of the E.U Observer Group