Fashola, Tinubu Urge Lagosians Not To Be Discouraged Over Rescheduled Elections

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Sunday urged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the postponement of the Senate and House of Representatives elections at the weekend, saying their massive turnout for the rescheduled and subsequent elections would ensure economic prosperity for   the country.

Governor Fashola, who answered questions from newsmen at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on the postponed elections, described free and fair election as a dual carriageway where the organisers prepare for the elections while the electorate show their commitment by coming out to participate.

Listing some of the advantages free and fair elections hold for Nigeria, Governor Fashola declared, “It is a patriotic duty; it is a civic responsibility; it is your own contribution to nation building because that is what will determine the future and fortune of our country.

“A successful election means so much for us in terms of the image of our country; in terms of the economic opportunities that it brings because once we get this election right, we are telling the world that politically our country is stable. Once there is political stability in any country, economic opportunities and economic prosperity follows immediately.”

Governor Fashola, who noted that people are leaving countries where there is conflict, asserted,  “This is our biggest opportunity to take the leadership of this continent and demonstrate that we are truly ready and the first step to doing this so is by signalling to the world that we are ready for political stability with free and fair elections that delivers democratically elected candidates. Once this happens, in our country, I assure you, Nigeria will prosper beyond our wildest dreams”.

On the postponement of last Saturday’s elections, he commended the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission “for their courage to come clean and accept that there were problems”, adding, “I think in spite of our disappointment, we must reflect on the character of that leadership that went out to tell Nigerians the truth in spite of the difficulties and I think this is the character of leadership that we should hope to see in our country more often.

“One must also commend them for listening to the various stakeholders that moving the election to the 4th of April, which was barely 48 hours was probably not well thought out. I think clearly after further consultations, it is clear that we will gain more than we will lose if we spend one more week preparing to get it right”, the governor said.

Governor Fashola commended Lagosians “for heeding our call to remain calm and peaceful”, adding, “I also want to appeal to them not to be discouraged or disillusioned. We understand their disappointment, but we hope they will rally round in this exercise. Sitting on the fence is not the best option. These elections we must get right and whatever it takes, everybody must play his part and the best way to do it is that everybody who is eligible to vote must make voting his priority on 9 April and subsequent elections.

“We must geet it right. We must all come out and participate.”
The Governor also saluted Lagosians “for their courage and maturity,” noting that in spite of their disappointment, they did not allow that to spill-over and escalate to anger.

“This is very commendable citizenship; this is commendable leadership; this is commendable nationalism and we hope to see all registered voters coming out on Saturday to participate in the exercise”.

Earlier in his reaction, National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also commended the leadership of INEC saying the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega “has demonstrated a good understanding and we must commend him”.

On whether he still has confidence in the electoral body to deliver a free and fair election, Asiwaju Tinubu declared, “I have confidence in INEC.  You can easily make an error to fault INEC, but how much independence has Jega?”

The ACN leader urged Nigerians and Lagosians not to be discouraged by the postponement but to demonstrate the will to get it right this time by coming out massively on Saturday and in subsequent elections to vote their candidates.

“We have a nation we must salvage. We have a National Assembly we must deliver,” he said.