By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
A gubernatorial aspirant under platform of the Action Alliance (AA) in Lagos State, Abdulrazaq Balogun has posited that he joined the race with the sole aim of bringing about an electoral evolution and equity that would naturally compel the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hand over power to an AA candidate in 2023.
Balogun, a former secretary of Lagos chapter of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), made the assertion weekend while unveiling his Lagos Rebirth Agenda.
The governorship hopeful, who expressed confidence in emerging as flagbearer for his party, disclosed that his plan was not to go violent with the APC and other parties, but that the state would be governed after 2023 election by an AA candidate, particularly him, after the party must have polled more votes than others vying to administer Lagos.Unveiling his Lagos Rebirth Agenda on Saturday, the gubernatorial aspirant stressed that the ideology does not only cover the election but also entails Lagosians’ needs and how the masses could become more comfortable across the state.
He disclosed that the equity in his agenda was basically to bring about a better Lagos that would work for all irrespective of their background within the state.
The Epe indigene disclosed that before declaring his intention to contest, a thorough evaluation of Lagos was done and that all that was discovered affecting the state was that the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria needed to be restructured to work for all and sundry.
He said, “Equity is wrong with the present state government, we don’t practice equity and we lack good governors as a result of lack of equity.
“I am not wresting power with APC, I am coming up with electoral evolution and we are going to take power by the ballot. By the time they vote for us massively, and we have enough votes, they will have no choice but to surrender. They have made the people of Lagos suffer for long.”
While pledging his desire to reduce unemployment and put more money in the hands of Lagosians, he said: “Is it so difficult to provide a secure environment, habitable homes, pipe-borne water, affordable healthcare, good roads, efficient mass transportation system, affordable education, and merciful policies for the good people of Lagos?
According to him, where is the genuine support as well as interest in industrial development so as to make life more abundant for the good people of Lagos?.
He noted that the solutions to all these challenges had been encapsulated in the Lagos rebirth agenda and that whenever it is implemented, would become a template for all other major cities globally to adopt.
The gubernatorial aspirant explained that the ‘R’ in the ideology stood for Rural Development, ‘E’– Education and Energy, ‘B’ – Broad base and Inclusive Governance, ‘I’ – Infrastructure, ‘R’ – Restoring Security of Lives and Property, ‘T’ – Technology and Transportation and ‘H’ – Healthcare and Housing.
“The actions embedded in the above idea of REBIRTH will lead us to create 450,000 jobs with a promise to roll out employment forms for potential employees for about 200,000 jobs.
“These forms are to be submitted to our party secretariat for immediate employment two months after being sworn in while the remaining 250,000 will be gainfully employed afterward. The job creation models are already documented and awaiting the opportunity for implementation.
