According to a recent news report, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been re-elected in the just-concluded Governorship Election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner after he garnered a total of 762,134 votes, defeating Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), who scored 312,329 votes to place second. Dr. AbdulAzeez Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, came third with 62,449 votes.
Governor Sanwo-Olu attributed his re-election to the Lagos electorate’s choice of competence, experience, and track record, as the state moved towards a new democratic dispensation. He expressed his appreciation to all the hardworking residents of the state, dedicating his success to them.
In his acceptance speech, the governor acknowledged that his administration had worked hard to provide the best leadership and trackable record of achievements in the “most important” sub-national economy on the continent. He assured that his second term would bring about the consolidation of his administration’s development agenda and witness the delivery of legacy projects that would raise the development profile of Lagos.
The governor expressed his gratitude to God and the people of the state, stating that Lagos was at this enviable stage of development today because of every one of them, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender, or age. He thanked all his supporters who worked tirelessly to take his message of competence and accomplishment far and wide.
Governor Sanwo-Olu saluted his opponents’ courage to participate in the democratic process, stating that their contribution created a competitive participation that reflected the essence of democracy and electioneering. He extended his hand of fellowship to his opponents, saying there was no victor and no vanquished, urging them to accept the electoral outcome in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
The governor, however, condemned what he called “divisive rhetoric” used by opposing parties during the campaign, stating that it was wrong for anyone to attempt to make the election about ethnicity and religion when it should have been about capacity, competence, and experience. He acknowledged and saluted all the Lagosians who refused to succumb to those who sought and still seek to divide them with their unguarded and inciting comments.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also condemned a pocket of violence that marred the election in a few polling units, leading to some residents sustaining injuries. He said that relevant security agencies had been directed to investigate the breaches and ensure those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.
Finally, the governor extended his gratitude to the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for supporting his government since its inception, pledging that Lagos would remain aligned with the center under Tinubu’s leadership. He also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the “unprecedented support” to Lagos in the last eight years, thanking him for his commitment to leaving a legacy of fairness and equitability in the nation’s electoral system, expressing the belief that posterity would judge him “well for his commitment to a fair and equitable country.”
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