The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Jimi Agbaje and his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu are locked in bitter war of words as preparation for the 2019 governorship election hots up.
The duo are engrossed in twitter war, trying to outwit each other, with Agbaje fighting dirt and raw.
Agbaje threw the first salvo when he said in an apparent response to his outing on leading TV station on Sunday night, a hurried arrangement was made to feature the panicky opposition candidate on TV.
“Clearly a rehashed session, here is a dissection of what he talked about. Continuity in Government: We will be innovative and improve all of our processes. Innovative? An attempt at innovation is what has caused the incumbent (Akinwunmi Ambode) a second term.
“Your imposition is not on your own terms. You will not be allowed to think freely and run a government. Lagos deserves a free hand and independent mind; someone who is not tied to the apron strings of a Godfather.
“On running mate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat: Lagos is getting an amazing deal, two governors wrapped in one . Two governors wrapped in one as presented by you is an elixir for anarchy in governance. You were billed to be Obafemi Hamzat’s Chief of Staff in his attempt to run for office in 2014. He cannot and will not truly see himself as your deputy. With two powerful energies, the ego battles can only be imagined,” Agbaje attacked.
Agbaje also said that Sanwo-Olu, in his campaign promise, said the state would see significant developments in waste management, education, transportation management, health, among others, while replying that “you (Sanwo-Olu) have clearly admitted that your current boss failed on the indices you listed above. As an appointee in his government, you had the opportunity to offer your two cents on how things could be better but you did not.
“Understandably, you cannot give what you do not have. In the inner most recesses of your heart, you know that you cannot rock the boat of the establishment that has propped you up.”
Agbaje also punctured Sanwo-Olu statement on his readiness for governance that he had been preparing for this all his life, saying that “it will be nice that you parade a list of your achievements in the public and private sector to buttress the claim that you have been preparing for this all along.
“In your previous roles, what were your achievements? As MD of LSDPC, how many housing units were added to solve the housing challenge? As Commissioner to Establishment, how did the lot of civil servants improve?
“As Commissioner for Commerce what did you do to improve the ease of doing business? What successes can be attributed to you – Babajide Sanwoolu,” Agbaje attacked further.
But Sanwo-Olu appeared to be more matured in the battle of wits, when he answered wisely by saying that “Fellow Lagosians, my opponent, Mr. Jimi Agbaje had a tweet storm yesterday night where he attempted, though in a very poor manner, to join issues with me on my appearance on TVC yesterday morning.
“My initial reaction was to ignore him. In this campaign season,it behooves on anyone seeking to be governor of Lagos to have an elevated mind. As leaders, we should place a high premium on civility and imbibe a high level of decorum in a period like this as example to our followers
“Our campaign should be about important issues that affect the lives of our people; what we are bringing to the table to make life more meaningful to Lagosians.
“This election will be about who has the best credentials to lead Lagos at this time of our development. It won’t be about who can dish out the most insults or tell the most lies.”
According to Sanwo-Olu, the election would be about who had the best plan to continue with the progressive and developmental agenda of Lagos that started since 1999.
“Lagos is a work in progress. In my published interviews in major newspapers this past Sunday. I was clear when I said Mr. Agbaje is my egbon. He is older than me . There is a level of decency that is expected of an elder.
“I still expect my opponent to hold on to those higher values we should see of elders as we progress in this campaign. Again, let us take the campaign away from the gutters.Let’s make it about issues that will make life more abundant for Lagosians,” he said.
