Former Defence Minister Musiliu Obanikoro has expressed confidence that the People’s Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje in Lagos State would win the election.
“I am confident with the feedback I am getting with an average person on the street of Lagos that they are clamoring for a change that will end one man’s control over our resources in Lagos. They are clamoring for a government that will invest in education as a way to end the slavery in our state,” he said in an interview with Vanguard.
“Just recently, Lagos State Government placed a N10, 000 fee on children sitting for JSS 3 exam. This is wicked and grossly insensitive on the part of a government that promised to give hope to the hopeless. And when education is no longer affordable, how can the people have hope?
“So I am confident that the mood of Lagos State at this time favours the victory and emergence of Jimi Agbaje as the next Governor of Lagos State and we are putting in everything legitimately possible to make this dream a reality.”
Asked why he set up the Lagos Independent Presidential Campaign Group for President Jonathan, the former governorship aspirant, who lost to Agbaje in the PDP governorship primaries, said it was meant to deepen the president’s presence in Lagos.
“There is a lot of misinformation going on and a critical way to counter that is through grassroots mobilization,” he explained.
He also expressed confidence that President Jonathan will win re-election in February.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the president will win. It is going to be a close election, but I have no doubt in my mind that at the end, the President will carry the day.”
Obanikoro expressed happiness over the peace accord signed by the presidential candidates, which he said to a good extent gives hope of a violence-free election.
“Let’s not forget that it is his (Buhari) silence that escalated the violence we are witnessing today. After his loss in 2011, his followers went on rampage and he kept quiet. This degenerated into the activities of Boko Haram. Prior to that, the activities of Boko Haram were not as deadly as they became after the 2011 elections,” he noted.
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