Joe Igbokwe is the Publicity Secretary of the
Lagos State capter of All Progressives
Congress, APC. In this interview, he speaks on
the the stability of the party in Lagos, the
2015 general elections and issues from the
last election in Ekiti among others.
APC
preparation for 2015 general elections in
Lagos APC Lagos is leaving no stone
unturned given the setbacks we had in Ekiti
State recently. More than ever before we are
fighting and digging deep as if we are in the
opposition. From state to the 57 LGAs, and to
the 377 Wards we are playing the real politics,
realising that all politics are local.
Challenge of stomach infrastructure I have
told you that Ekiti people have added new
words to our political lexicon and that is
STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE. We will play the
politics to the letter. We will face the
challenge with all the energy at our disposal.
We have rice in abundance especially the one
produced in Ikorodu, Lagos. We are doing
other things which time and space will not
permit me to recount here. Lagos has the
capacity to carry out any assignment without
let or hindrance. Thank God we got seven
months notice from Ekiti people that political
equation in Nigeria has changed from politics
of ideas to politics of the stomach. The ruling
party, PDP has impoverished Nigerians in the
past 16 years and they are now using stolen
money to buy votes. The new trend in Nigerian
politics is to get to the office, create poverty
and steal as much as you can.
Qualities expected from the next governor
Incumbent Governor Babatunde Fashola is
leaving behind big shoes and anybody who
will occupy that exalted office must be a
leader of leaders. He must be lettered in the
art of governance. He must be bold,
experienced, firm, strong, courageous, widely
traveled, widely exposed and very deep. He
must have passion for service.
Developmental orientation
He must be a good mobiliser, friend of the
poor, and must have a third eye. He must
have a developmental orientation, he is not a
hut builder. He must have a big heart. He
must believe in government of small things as
well as government of big things. Only the
best is good for Lagos because Lagos is not a
place for mediocrity.
Challenges next governor will confront
Development is work in progress. He will
continue where Governor Fashola will stop.
The incoming governor will have 25 million
Lagosians to contend with. Building
infrastructure will continue to pose a big
challenge in Lagos until every road, every
street is upgraded in Lagos. Astronomical
growth in Lagos population will continue to be
a challenge, Security will always pose a
challenge. Transportation, housing, refuse
disposal, jobs among others will continue to
be the big issue. The challenge to make Lagos
to remain the Centre for Excellence will always
be there. Critics will be there to put him on
the hot seat. The challenge to make Lagos the
first destination among African cities will
always be there.
Candidate emerging through consensus or
primaries
Please leave this great assignment for the
party leaders. Lagos is not in short supply of
great leaders but only one out of 14
governorship aspirants will be victorious. In
taking the decision a lot is going to be
considered. If we make a mistake we may end
up with a meretricious mediocrity. The leaders
must be extremely careful now that ethnic and
religious politics are taking the front seat in
Nigeria. Our leaders must shine their eyes
because APC Lagos will not go into 2015
elections with a divided house.
What is APC doing to prevent the repeat of the
Ekiti episode in Osun?
What happened in Ekiti State will never, never
happen in Osun State. Ekiti State was stolen
and that robbery is unacceptable in Osun
State. Even though we know PDP very well and
their ugly antecedents we thought they will
respect themselves in Ekiti and play to the
rules but a leopard cannot change its skin.
They will meet their waterloo in Osun State. In
Osun State, PDP will meet a lion in Governor
Aregbesola.
Next council election in Lagos?
Please leave that decision for the governor
and the leadership of the party in Lagos. When
the time comes the elections will hold.
On zoning of governorship slot
Going by the thinking of the party’s leadership
in Lagos, the Lagos West has produced a
governor, the Lagos Central has produced one
and now is the turn of Lagos East to occupy
the exalted seat. I think this is a wonderful
development that borders on justice, equity,
and fair play. I am inclined to think that it is
good for the commonwealth. I have no doubt
in my mind that APC Lagos will key in to this
development. It is fair to all concerned and it
is going to be beneficial to all.
Agitation for a Christian governor
In 1993 nobody raised any eyebrow when
Nigerians voted for the late Chief MKO Abiola
and Babagana Kingibe, both of them Muslims.
Now 22 years after, PDP has dragged Nigeria
into ethnic and religious politics. This is
unfortunate. I know that Christians in Lagos
have been asking for a Christian candidate in
Lagos because Muslim governors have ruled
Lagos since 1999. They have the right to do
so and the leadership of the party must listen
to them. We have to live with it.
PDP has inflicted mediocrity, ethnicity,
tribalism, sectionalism, sycophancy, and
politics of infrastructure of the stomach in
Nigeria. Nigeria is retrogressing, and moving
dangerously into a state of anything goes.
May we never crash this democracy? Lagos
wants a good Governor, a thinking Governor
and a goal getter. You can find a good
Governor from every religion.
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