For 23 years, the center of excellence and the economic capital of Nigeria has been managed by one party, although at some point have rebranded. Again in 2023, the contest for the no 1 position in the state will be open and personalities and parties in their numbers have thrown their hat in the ring; Amongst them is Mr. Akeem Olayiwola, the flag bearer of the AAC party in conjunction with Ben Eze, an astute academician. In an interview with reporter, Damilare Adenola, the business mogul digs into his profile and shares thrilling views of the state.
Can you Introduce yourself?
My name is OLAYIWOLA AKEEM, I am the Lagos State governorship candidate for AFRICAN ACTION CONGRESS -AAC.
I hold a B.Sc. in Mass communication from Olabisi onabanjo University Ago Iwoye. Ogun state. I’m a freight forwarding business mogul. I’m married with kids.
There is the saying that lagos is a mega city, do you agree?
No… presently Lagos State cannot be adjudged as a mega city, owing to the fact that amenities with which to determine a mega city are not visible in the State.
A mega city is expected of bearing facilities of modern development in virtually every sectors in the state. i.e ranging from transportation, education health, security architecture, and general way of life of the people.
How would you rate the performance of the incumbent governor in terms of development?
Nothing at all to rate as a performance.
The incumbent governor failed the state in every area; in terms of education, it failed woefully. In this 21st century, the number of schools/classrooms are not enough to contain the wards and this grossly subject our primary and secondary schools to a mere center of breeding thugs, cultists, and other criminals since the classrooms are overcrowded for a teacher to properly manage and monitor the activities of about eighty to one hundred students in a classroom.
In the health sector, if he performed brilliantly in this area, the chief cabal of Lagos wouldn’t have traveled for medicals when he was sick. Unfortunately, the political godson of the known cabal did not add up any hospital or even a common clinic to what Bàbá Lateef Jakande had built from 1979-1984. Also, the sector is bereft of adequate medical equipment and the lack of manpower is mitigating the quality of health deliveries.
In the housing sector, Lagos State needs a minimum of 193,000 housing unit yearly so as to create shelter for the low earner income of ₦59,000 a month. The current Lagos state government in collaboration with private bodies only delivered 6,300 housing units in three years in office.
Transportation: nothing to show for this compared to what the sector is raking in as revenue to the state. Lagos State is not annexing the water transportation to decongest road usage and ease the mobility of Lagosians.
Waste management: this suppose to be a community project under the supervision of local governments in a supposed mega city, but local governments in Lagos State are operating like branches of state government without any tangible function.
In the area of security, the 2022 budget on security is ₦70.716bn, and this is purely exclusive of the monthly security allowance from the federal government. With this huge amount devoted to security, no street in Lagos State should be without a properly installed CCTV camera to monitor activities.
In conclusion, the Incumbent governor failed in every sector when juxtaposing its revenue to it’s performance.
Why are you contesting for the no 1 position in lagos?
I am contesting for the number 1 position in Lagos State to return government to the people. I am contesting to give equity and justice to the people of Lagos State so that elusive peace and love can be restored in the State.
Why your choice of the AAC party?
I am a grassroots pioneer and registered member of the AAC party. AAC as a revolutionary and socialist party has a well-structured manifesto that revolves around upgrading people’s welfare.