A human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa says Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has abandoned governance in the state to embark on frivolous campaign tour with new presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated this in a Saturday statement he personally signed.
Recent videos of Tinubu’s courtesy visits to President Muhammadu Buhari and fellow contestants for the APC ticket showed him flanked by Sanwo-Olu.
Before the APC Special Convention that produced Tinubu, the Lagos governor had also been seen visiting several states with his political godfather to meet with delegates for the Convention.
In his reaction, Adegboruwa said it was high time Sanwo-Olu returned to the state to resume the job he was elected to perform instead of turning himself to Tinubu’s unofficial campaign manager.
The senior lawyer said the governor should return to the state to monitor the okada ban, seasonal environmental crisis occasioned by the rainy season, and check the activities of other officials that might want to abandon their duties because of his absence.
“Since the declaration of the presidential aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu has abandoned governance in Lagos State.
“He is the unofficial campaign manager of Tinubu, his media strategist and personal anchorman. The Governor has hardly been in office.
“It was the Governor that declared the ban on motorbikes but he is not on ground to monitor the daily crisis occasioned by the declaration, though commendable but needs careful enforcement.
“The rainy season in Lagos is always a bitter experience for Lagosians in flooding, heavy traffic and other casualties, but the Governor has not been on his seat to address issues related to this. Crime has been on the increase in Lagos lately.
“No doubt state resources will be involved in these campaign activities and most government officials will cash in on the absence of the Governor to also abandon their responsibilities, either to pursue their political other business interests. There are many more grave consequences attendant upon the decision of the Governor to abdicate his constitutional responsibilities in pursuit of the political ambition of the APC presidential flag bearer.
“From all the foregoing, I do hereby appeal to Governor Sanwoolu to return to Lagos and assume his constitutional responsibilities of functional governance. His Excellency was not elected as Campaign Manager of politicians but as an administrator,” Adegboruwa said.