Toll Collection Protest A Cheap Blackmail —ACN

The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has described Saturday’s protest over the collection of toll on the Lekki-Epe Expressway as a cheap blackmail, crude and wicked politics.

In a swift reaction, the party said what would have been a moment of unspeakable joy, full of glories and a big plus for Lagosians was turned into fiasco that was not only regrettable but very unfortunate.

In a statement signed by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Joe Igbokwe, the party said that it was condemnable that some people introduced cheap politics to an issue that was clearly aimed at improving infrastructure in the state.

The party said a well-conceived project, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa backed by the Lagos State House of Assembly coupled with very wide consultations was now being politicised and this might send wrong signals to states and even federal government who might be interested in concessioning via Public Private Partnership, PPP.

“When one recalls that during the protests on Saturday, we saw some placards with the inscription: “Who Killed Chief Funsho Williams?” Now, we wonder what Lekki Toll Plaza protest got to do with the unfortunate death of Chief Funsho Williams, if not for the chief sponsors and proponents of the protest, who have been generously mentioned in the death of Funso Williams to, as usual, gain cheap benefits from their sly acts. “We have had sufficient reasons to believe that the protest was either planned by the desperate PDP or hijacked by the PDP when the frustrated members of Lagos have been so vociferous in inciting Lagosians to revolt against the toll implementation prior to the commencement date.

“Our fears that the protest may be PDP show were proved beyond reasonable doubt when some PDP candidates who contested and lost elections were among the people arrested yesterday for disturbing public peace. We find it very difficult to understand that when PDP-controlled federal government is planning to bring back toll gates on dilapidated federal highways, the sane party is sponsoring a protest against similar project here in Lagos,” it stated.

“Is it not ironic that the same party, whose government has given out Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Bi Courtney to build and manage for years, is now opposing such practice on an already built up road that was built to world standard.

“Is it not ironic that a party whose government has successfully concessioned so many federal parastatals, including the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, is now embarking in a desperate mission to incite Lagosians to revolt against such move on a road that is acclaimed as world standard?

“Is it not ironic that a party that has sold off every national patrimony is now leading a revolt against the Lagos State government for building a worthy road that will certainly alleviate the sufferings of the masses?” the party asked.

According to ACN, “We regret that what should have been a progenitor to great infrastructure revival in Lagos, has been mired in the dirty politics of those that will neither build nor allow others to build. Those that seek to benefit from the continued atrophy of the state and the country.

“Those who desire the complete ruination of Nigeria, who are benefitting from the deprecation of our infrastructures, are those who are now inciting Lagosians to work against concessioning, even when they are beneficiaries of concessioning of our prized national assets. It is indeed worrisome that these are the people that are now pretending to love Lagosians more than themselves.”

The party said it could not still understand the yardstick for the protest even when an alternative route had been provided for those who did not want to pay tolls, “if not cheap and self serving politics.

“The party deeply regrets the fact that some Lagosians were wounded in the stand-off with security agents, as they tried to clear the blockage of the said expressway. As a responsible and responsive party that believes in partnership with the people of Lagos State, we apologise for this mistake and once, again, we plead for the understanding of all Lagosians on this singular issue.”

—Kazeem Ugbodaga