The race for who would become the next governor of Lagos State in 2015 is becoming hotter by the day as former acting national vice chairman (south west) of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Engineer Adedeji Doherty, has finally confirmed his readiness to contest for the exalted seat.
According to an interview conducted by P.M NEWS, Doherty stated that after months of consultations and underground campaigns, that he is optimistic of clinching the PDP ticket to emerge the next governor of Lagos state.
“This week, at Lagos PDP secretariat, I will formally declare my intention to run for Lagos state governorship election in 2015 on the platform of PDP. I have consulted widely and with the support of every stakeholders I will clinch the party ticket,” he claimed.
Doherty added that if he emerges Lagos governor come 2015, his developmental agenda will positively touch the lives of the people of the state.
He criticised the current administration led by Governor Babatunde Fashola for concentrating on visuals, while stating that he is in the race to benefit the grassroots.
“They have been focusing on visuals, they have been focusing on what people can see, not things that will make impact. If I go through express roads I might see traffic lights but how will those traffic lights have impact on my pockets? How does it have an impact on my children? How does it make an impact if I am sick? It only creates ambience, partly security and beautification.
“What we are supposed to focus on is the long term plan. We should move into the decongestion projectfor Lagos state. The decongestion project is going into rural development,” Doherty said.
The PDP chieftain maintained that his vision is to re-generate Lagos as a leading economic, industrial, and commercial crime-free, friendly and tourist centre attracting people from other parts of Nigeria and international community while the mission is to work tirelessly towards the total enhancement of the lives of all inhabitants in Lagos.
The political atmosphere in the nations’s commercial centre has begun to get heated this is because the incumbent governor Fashola would have completed his two-term tenure by 2015.
Political heavyweights in the state, both in the ACN and the opposition PDP, have been showing interests in clinching the gubernatorial tickets of their parties.
On the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, those interested in succeeding Fashola include: Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; an ex-Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Senator Ganiyu Solomon, representing Lagos West Senatorial District; Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District.
Other aspirants who have shown interest in the number one job include Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives and former Governor Bola Tinubu’s aide-de-camp, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal.
Only on Monday, 9 September, 2014, former Accountant General of Lagos State, Akin Ambode formally declared his intention to vie for the governorship seat of Lagos State in 2015.
Ambode made his intention known when he opened his campaign office in Gbagada, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
On the platform of the PDP, the likes of Ade Dosumu, who was the party’s candidate in the 2011 governorship election; Chief Mrs. Remi Adiukwu-Bakare, former Commissioner for Commerce in the State; Adedeji Doherty, who contested the party primary in 2007 and 2011 have indicated interest to contest the Lagos governorship by 2015.
Former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Afenifere chieftain, Mr. Jimi Agbaje; former House of Representatives member and Hon. Setonji Koshoedo are also among the politicians warming up for the ticket of the party come 2015 election.
However owing to the unending schism in the state chapter of the party, more gladiators may emerge to contend for the flag of the party in the poll.
