12th April, 2011
Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Basorun J.K. Randle has promised not to be far from the people, if elected.
He disclosed this at an interactive session organized by Eko Club, Surulere.
Randle said he would make it a point of duty to meet with residents of the state at least once in a month to discuss strategies on how to move the state forward.
“If the citizens of America can be allowed to see their president and if an American governor can create time to meet the people of his state, I see no reason why Lagosians should not be able to see their governor.. It is only in Nigeria that once people get to office they become inaccessible. But I can assure you that if it is the will of God that I become the governor of Lagos State, once in a month you will find me here,’’ he stated.
The former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) lamented the high rate of unemployment in the country and promised to tackle it by creating more jobs, if elected.
He also said his administration would appoint and award contracts to only the indigenes of the state.
Earlier, the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Action Congress of Nigeria candidate in the April 26 elections, had told members of the club during his interacion with them that if voted back to office, he would consolidate on his achievements and extend ongoing development to other parts of the state.
The governor refuted claims by the oppositions that Lagos State under his leadership is the highest indebted state in the country. He said most of the loans taken by the state government were long term ones with minimal interest rate, which many developed nations have benefitted from.
Governor Fashola urged Lagosians to vote for him so that he could complete his ongoing projects.
Commenting on the interactive sessions, Prince Shamusideen Alani-Ope, President of the club said the session was organized for members of the club who are contesting for the governorship seat in the state to know what they have to offer citizens of the state and for members to know where they could equally contribute their quotas.
He said the club would continue to have such sessions “as long as candidates seeking the number one seat in the state are members of the club.â€
Candidates invited for the sessions includes Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Rasheed B. Fanimokun of the African Liberation Party, Shamsideen Dosunmu of the People’s Democratic Party. Randle.
—Paul Sanusi