Lagos Elections Free, Fair Credible, Says Omotoso

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso has picked holes in the claims by certain individuals that the 2023 general elections in Lagos State were flawed.

Omotoso who featured in a TVC programme, “Politics Standpoint” said rather the elections were free, fair and credible – going by the facts and figures associated with them.

According to him, those alleging violence and intimidation are those who perpetrated such anomalies, adding that the unique selling point of Lagos lies in its entrenched values of peaceful co-existence, religious and ethnic tolerance.

The Commissioner who assessed the two elections in Lagos state, thanked the electorate for re-electing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat for another four years term in an election which he referred to as “the best we have had in our recent history”

The Commissioner observed that the figures given by local and international observers during the elections showed that the elections in Lagos were free, fair and credible.

According to him, the isolated cases of alleged voter intimidation and suppression that happened in less than one per cent of the over 13, 325 polling units in the State were “insignificant”, even if true, to have any impact on the credibility of the elections.

“Besides, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has been declared winner of the gubernatorial election by INEC, ran a campaign devoid of divisive sentiments but based more on his record of competence and performance, which are evident in the many schools, hospitals and roads already built, businesses promoted and achievements in the transportation section, especially the recent completion of the Blue Rail Line project”, Omotoso said.

Berating opposition parties for running their campaigns based on primordial sentiments of religion and ethnicity, the Commissioner said the trend polarised the state.

He, however, commended residents for their patriotism, which was displayed during and after the elections.

While reminding residents to uphold what Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said in his acceptance speech, Omotoso maintained that “the core values of Lagos State is entrenched in its resilience to always embrace peaceful tolerance, mutual respect and love for ourselves, which saw us through the turbulent times of COVID-19 pandemic”.

On what the future holds for Lagos in the Sanwo-Olu administration, Omotoso said: “The state is set to ensure the completion of bigger developmental projects that will show that the state government remains accountable to the residents.

‘’The work plan of the government includes the completion of a 500-bed hospital in Ketu-Ejirin to cater to the mental health of residents, a new General Hospital in Ojo, a 10 hectares Film City, the building of eight stadia to further promote sports and the construction of a Research Centre for vaccine production is also on the way, while not forgetting the Fourth Mainland Bridge project among others.’’