CLAIM: I didn’t promise to clear Apapa traffic in 60 days, says Sanwo-Olu
EVIDENCE: News reports as documented evidence show that the Governor actually made the promise.
CONCLUSION: FALSE
FULL TEXT:
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has denied promising to solve the Apapa gridlock in 60 days. Sanwo-Olu said this on Tuesday while fielding questions from State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. However, our research shows that to be FALSE.
As the euphoria of the campaign is over, public office holders, especially, those with executive functions, like a new bride, have come to the shocking realisation that honeymoon is over.
Reality check is here and so Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu now faced with the stark realities of meeting the aspirations of over 15 million Lagosians has made a dramatic U-turn from his earlier promises.
For a long time now, motorists and residents in Apapa have been at the mercy of truck drivers who park indiscriminately at the Ijora-Apapa axis, causing sorrow, tears and blood to residents. Many residents have relocated; businesses, too, have had to be relocated from Apapa.
As the governorship elections drew near in March, it was clear that the candidates of the major political parties would make clearing the Apapa traffic gridlock a campaign issue.
They didn’t disappoint.
As Governor-elect on May 18, Sanwo-Olu had said during an interactive session with his classmates at the Executive Master of Business Administration class, University of Lagos, 1988/2000 set, that he would end the nightmarish traffic jam in Apapa within the first 60 days of his administration.
In his words, His Excellency to-be had said: “The Apapa trailer issue, it’s a campaign issue; it’s very serious. I am going to take it very seriously. I believe that it is something that we are going to solve in the first 60 days of our government. Whatever is going to be required of us, we will take them out. There is a lot of politics being played around there. But no, it cannot be the way we will continue to live. We cannot continue to give excuses.”
DUBAWA spoke to the Deputy Chief Press Secretary of Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile on the issue.
He laboured to defend his boss: “He clarified his earlier statement that the situation will be reviewed and a lasting situation will be found to the gridlock.”
Nevertheless, changing his statement and denying he ever said it, are two different things. The point is that Sanwo-Olu made a promise and is denying it in less than 100 days in office and that is WRONG!
