The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, on Tuesday said the state had not witnessed real governance in the last 20 years.
Agbaje made this claim in Ikorodu during a meeting with members of the Committee of Indigenous Associations of Lagos State (CIALS).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CIALS is the umbrella body of all associations of indigenous peoples in the state.
The PDP candidate said the last time residents felt the real impact of governance was during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande from 1979 to 1983.
He said Jakande, though spent only four years as governor, recorded many strides in all sectors of the state which impacted on lives and created opportunities.
Agbaje said the achievements of the former governor in education, health, transportation and other sectors were still reference points in discussions on good governance.
He said the political structure that had been governing state since 1999 had done nothing significant to make the people feel the impact of governance.
Agbaje said the same people in the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been in charge of governance in the state for the past 20 years, adding they had only taken care of their personal interests, not the people.
He said it was regrettable that Lagos could not be ranked high on all the indices of development under the hegemonic political establishment for the past two decades.
Agbaje said he was seeking to become governor to disrupt the narrative and bring real governance to the people and the state.
He said if elected he would replicate what he called the glorious days of Jakande and deliver impactful governance for the progress of the state.
”All the time, I have contested. I have compared our governance today with governance some 37 years ago, and I say we have not had a civilian administration like that of Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
”I am not talking of military administrations that came after him because it is good to compare oranges with oranges. We know the military governments do what they like and you cannot question them.
”We know the civilian dispensation of Alhaji Lateef Jakande and we know the achievements that administration recorded in just four years.
”Just to remind us, Jakande addressed education frontally, he addressed health, he addressed housing, he gave us water.
“He went ahead to say there was the need for the state to have a metroline and we can go on and on
”I’m comparing his four years to the nearly 20 years we have had in the fifth republic and my message has been consistent each time I have contested.
”In 2007 when I contested, my campaign theme was new thinking, new Lagos, basically to say we need to think differently in the way we govern Lagos.
”In 2015, I talked about bold ideas, new opportunities, what I said was that we needed to change the way we carry out the business of governance.
”This time we are talking about re-anchoring Lagos. I think you understand what I mean when I say, re-anchor. Yes, there was an anchor under Jakande and we lost that anchor in the last 20years.
”It is time to re-anchor and that is what we are going to do. That is our mission, that is our agenda,” he said.
Reeling out plans for the state, Agbaje said the healthcare system was dysfunctional, and he would revamp the health system if elected.
He said the Primary Health Centres in the state were not giving services and that he would deliver an alternative primary health care system that would work.
The candidate said he would implement a health insurance that would be structured to give access to residents both in the urban areas and hinterland.
Agbaje said that he would invest heavily on health infrastructure and recruit medical personnel to deliver health services.
He said he would make education his number one priority by not only investing in infrastructure but also employing and training teachers.
Agbaje said he would provide free internet in all primary schools in the state to drive qualitative ICT based learning.
He described the traffic situation in the state as chaotic, saying he would implement plans to solve the problem.
The candidate said he would ensure the state rail transportation system was as obtained in most megacities of the world.
Agbaje said he would give the desired attention to housing, agriculture, and the economy of the state.
The PDP candidate urged residents to trust him with their votes to deliver service.
He said he would give all residents a sense of belonging and run a government that would listen to them.
Earlier, CIAL’s Coordinator, Prof. Rasheed Ojikutu, said the meeting was organised to engage Agbaje on his plans for the state and residents, especially indigenes.
He pointed out that CIALS had no political allegiance to any candidate that it was only playing its part to promote good governance.
Ojikutu urged all candidates including Agbaje to do their best for the state if any of them was elected in March.
NAN reports that Agbaje later met with party men and his supporters in Ikeja where he also reeled out his agenda for the state. (NAN)