by Idoreyin Sampson
Fireworks! And dare we say we love it… okay, kinda.
Apparently, the Information Minister has hit a nerve in the Lagos government with his comments at the opening of the 2013 Ministerial Platform. Labaran Maku said that Lagos is “running on federal infrastructure” and all that the governor had to do was environmental (sanitation) and he would shine because the federal government had done the major development work for the state.
This comment, made on national TV and broadcast live on social media platforms, didn’t go down well with Lagos State and the Action Congress of Nigeria. And the two have fired back with loads of insults on the information minister.
[READ: Labaran Maku has lost touch, I feel great pity for him – Fashola]
But, Lagos PDP is not taking it laying low. The party has responded with a statement signed by Taofik Gani which reiterates the position of Mr. Labaran Maku, provides more details, and takes some swipes at the ACN led Lagos government and we reproduce it unedited below:
The Lagos State chapter of the PDP has described the unwarranted outburst of the Lagos ACN spokesman, Joe Igbokwe, against the person of Labaran Maku, the Hon. Minister of information, as diversionary, lacking in merit and criminally persuaded.
The party opines that Labaran Maku is a genuine patriot, untainted in character and remains the best man for the job at this time unlike “Igbokwe who has always been known to use abusive languages and lies which is not what politics is about
The Lagos ACN spokesman had reacted to the statement of Labaran Maku that lagos state is presently enjoying strong federal Government support that would be showcased during the planned Good Governance Tour.
It would be racalled that governor Fashola had suddenly made a “U turn” on plans by the Labaran Maku Ministerial team to visit lagos state for the Good Governance Tour. This is inspite the fact that Governor Fashola actually supported the noble idea at the meeting of the Governors.
The idea of the Good Governance Tour is to showcase dividends of democracy in each state, especially as delivered by the Federal and State Governments.
The Lagos State PDP thus states that it has been vindicated that the ACN government in the State is Damn arrogant, non tolerant and hostile to even constructive criticism.
The party wonders whether the unguarded statements against the person of the Hon. Minister of information was in fact the appropriate reaction in the circumstance or for the State Government to showcase the much touted developments in the State.
“It is always characteristic of the ACN leadership in the state to deny the obvious. It is true that Lagos State enjoys monumental federal government presence and support. Amongst many contributions of the federal Government is the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge recently commissioned. It would be remembered that Governor Fashola attributed the successful construction of the bridge to the federal government under late president Musa Yar’adua. One is thus bemused that whilst the Governor cannot deny the great supports of the federal Government to Lagos State, the Lagos State ACN spokesman would always go on a frolic of his own and showcase the attitude of a man suffering from diarrhoea of the mouth. Indeed the huge lagos “tax payers money monthly allocated to the lagos ACN spokesman could make him get over fed like a kid and thus become exuberant in character”
The Lagos State PDP submits that other notable Federal Government monuments that the Lagos state Government has been enjoying and feasting on include the: Sea Ports, Airports, Railways, the third Mainland Bridge, Ikorodu Road, Agege motor Road, popular Oshodi “oke” bridge, federal Medical institutions, Cheap Federal Government higher institutions to mention a few.
The Party states emphatically that in spite the over 32 billion Naira monthly IGR and at least N9 billion monthly Federal Government allocations, the state yet stands as the biggest debtor in the country having collected Local and foreign loans of well over 6 trillion Naira.
Notwithstanding the huge sums, the major projects in the state are carried out by concessionaires. Such projects include the light rail, Lekki-Epe Road, etc.
“For fourteen Years the ACN led government in the state cannot construct the very expedient fourth mainland bridge, even though it had been their point for campaigns at every election.
Indeed, all the bridges in the State connecting the Mainland and the Island are federal Government legacies.
No wonder, the ACN government in the State cannot showcase their own scorecard.
For further sake of clarity, States like Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, etc have their own independent Power projects, Airports, paying the minimum wage to their workers, built more bridges than Lagos without any tolling.
“What then is the pride of the ACN government in Lagos State after fourteen years of only plunging the state into unprecedented sorrows, deprivation and Fascism.”
We want to remind the Lagos ACN spokesman that only under the ACN administration in the state has his tribesmen businesses been most witch-hunted in the history of the state, whilst he stands criminally silent like a pathological betrayer.
We are also inclined to be concerned about the fast senility that has set into a man that is just in his 50s who for a plate of porridge attempts to distort enshrined Lagos history by describing Governor Fashola Administration as the best ever to happen in the state.
Indeed an unequivocal, sincere admission that the Eight Years of Tinubu administration in the state was a waste.
Notwithstanding, one wonders whether the said spokesman was born at all or was still in his remote village during the administration of Pa Lateef Jakande.
The Lagos State PDP reiterates that the Fashola Administration remains a propagandists one that cannot showcase any tangible development that is directly linked to the over Sixteen Trillion Naira it had realised during same period.
Unfortunately, these same tendencies were behind the wicked increment in LASU tuition fees, Eight Months Old Doctor’s strike that led to over Seven thousand deaths, dilapidated State and Local Government Roads etc.
“This attitude is one of an Ingrate and betrayer and indeed has become metastised in the ACN leadership.
At this stage in time, we must now sympathise with them.
They must either surrender themselves for psychiatric examination or be obliged Seven Days Fervent Prayer Session. Nigerians must take this very seriously”
The Lagos State PDP notes that contrary to the day dreaming by the ACN leadership that Lagos state is globally lauded, the state is actually globally noted as being the Second dirtiest in Africa, largest debtor State in Nigeria and one once governed by a perjurer.
It therefore intimates the ACN to accept that it is now terminally diseased and must in a matter of time, surely go into oblivion as a result of modern reality in governance.
“We know that the ACN Government in lagos state is only avoiding the Good Governance Tour in order to cover up its inadequacies.
It is definitely not true that Labaran Maku is seeking any favour. As a matter of conviction, Maku must have rejected to be compromised by governor Fashola.
We know of past and serving Federal Government officials who got compromised to say favourable things about the Fashola Administration”
At this juncture, we can only apologise to the federal government and Labaran Maku on behalf of the Prodigal leadership of Lagos ACN whilst also admonishing them to wake up from their infantile politicking and get matured.
Signed:
TAOFIK GANI
Lagos PDP
Haba, PDP. Seeing is believing in Lagos. Are Surulere roads not better than before. What about some major roads on the island? Virtually all parts of Lagos has been touched. Lagos State is an institution that is better managed than Nigeria. Tax payers in Lagos are not sad for the deployment of tax revenues.
Lekki/Ikoyi toll gate why?i thought we don’t have something like dat in our country why dat lagos own still existing plz i need an answer.
Taofik Gani (If At All Anybody Exist With That Identity) Is A Good Destroyer,But One Obvious Fact Known Of Lagos State Is That Fashola’s Administration Has Successfully Send All Other Parties Including PDP Into The Sea Of Oblivion And That Is Why They Dont Have A Known Or Credible Spokeman Like Joe Igbokwe,Where Are The Obanikoros,Ogunlewes,Pedros And Ade Dosunmus Of This World,Definitely,The PDP Are Afraid Of Fashola’s Achievement And Even Not Sure Of Any Credibility In The Retortment Of Their Captain Liebarhen Maku So,The Reason They Are Making The Statement Under The Guise Of A Faceless,Worthless Taofik Gani,What A Shame!
Again,He Said That If Maku Had Been Offered Inducement,He Would Not Have Taking It,When Long Ago,Both Fashola And Adam Oshiomole Had Openly Accused The Idiot And His Bandit Members Of Seeking For Financialy Support For That Useless Good Governance Tour,How Blatantly Have They Missed The Point In Vindicating Their Man In Abuja,Bunch Of Frustrated Thieves!
Rubbish. We all know Fashola’s splendid performance. Period.