Wale Jagun
Primate Charles Odugbesi, a former State Scribe of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has charged the council Chairmen and Councillors across the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos, to ensure that the incumbent governor, Mr Babajide Olushola Sanwo – Olu is returned as winner of the forthcoming Governorship election.
Odugbesi, who was also the former State Secretary of the Action Alliance (AD) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), warned that the council bosses, councilors, and other political aides at the council level should be ready to leave their respective councils if the governor loses at the coming poll on March11.
He issued the warning in an open letter on Thursday to the Council Chairmen, Councillors, and other political appointees at the council level.
It would be recalled that the Labour Party sent a shockwave across the political scene last Saturday when the party defeated APC in the Presidential election last Saturday, despite the ruling party winning in 11 council areas compared to LP 9.
While stating that the council bosses and other political appointees only exist at the behest of the governor, Primate Odugbesi said that they should be ready to pack their bags from the council if the governor loses the election.
“I am making a call to all chairmen, councilors, supervisors, special advisers, SLGs etc in all the 57 LGAs of Lagos State, that the coming elections on Saturday 11th March 2023, is not about Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, it is about you and your existence relative to whatever position you are holding”, Primate Odugbersi said.
“With 57 Council chairmen/women, 377 Councilors, 57 SLGs and about 8 or more supervisors multiplied by 57, if you cannot deliver Lagos State to APC who made it possible for you to enjoy what you are enjoying presently, then it is a shame on you all.
“Let me warn you before it is dawn on you and before it is too late that Local Government affairs are at the mercy of the Governor. So, if another party should win, God forbids bad things, just pack your bags and baggage and leave the council premises before you are chased out”, the former State APC Scribe warned council functionaries in Lagos.
He blamed some of the council chairmen for the poor outing at the last election, stating that they failed to mobilize people at the grassroots to vote for the party.
He said that with those empowered at the local government areas as Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Councilors, Secretaries to the Local Government, Supervisory Councilors and Special Advisers, APC should have no issue winning any election in the state. Odugbesi thereafter, called on the governor to give them a matching order to deliver their respective areas.
“Some Council chairmen that are waiting for the state to mobilize them before they mobilize voters in their domains, will have no position again. Do not forget that people from other parties are envious of your positions and are working hard to replace you. If you are outside the fence for four years, you will know that God has no tribal marks”, he said.
“From experience, the local government apparatus alone is enough to win the elections. With the Councilors and supers and party members from the 377 wards, and you still cannot win your wards, it is a shame.
“This was the same apparatus we have been using in the past to win elections, but right now, it looks like the council bosses do not know that they are sitting on kegs of gunpowder. You are the ones that can do it, because you are the ones who know your areas. You know where the new polling units are situated.
“I will suggest here at this juncture that Mr Governor should call all the chairmen and the Councilors and all the other council political office holders and give them mandate to go and deliver their wards and Local Governments”, Primate Odungbesi said.
