Apparently impressed by the performance of Edo state Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola has declared that he will not hesitate to back his Edo colleague should he decides to join the 2015 presidential race.
Fashola was speaking in Benin City at a Youth Summit organised by the Edo State Government. The theme of the summit is “Nigeria’s Centenary: Defining the Issues and Setting Agenda for the Future of our Youths”.
An excited Lagos Governor declared, “if Governor Adams Oshiomhole decides to run as President of this country, he will have my vote. He is the kind of leader that Nigeria needs. I say that because, I have spent five memorable years of my life in Benin City as an undergraduate and as a Youth Corper and they are very fond memories that I hold dear in my heart today.
“I am always looking forward to coming here each time I am invited. The excitement to come here is in at an all time high. Since my brother assumed office as your governor, because every time that I come here, for all the right reasons, Benin City has not remained the same. It has changed positively and continues to change.
“On my way here, I drove past my former office on Sapele Road and clearly the place has transformed. And the Airport Road is now wider. I know what Ring Road used to be like and Akpakpava road. It is nice to know that tourism is back, flights are regular and you have done it because you have allowed yourselves to be led by a man who can inspire you to action. And I don’t think that anybody can claim the credit for what has happened here if not the people of Edo State.”
Speaking the host, Oshiomhole was of the view that despite the challenges the country is facing, the youth should not lose hope as they remain the future leaders.
According to him, “As a people what we should think about is how we get our people properly managed such that the wealth of this great country is expressed in the quality of life of the citizen. How do we address the paradox of a nation so rich and yet its people getting poorer?
“How do we raise the issue of how the promise of democracy can be fully realised, if the federal government continues to pocket 52% and ask all the 36 states and the FCT to share 26% and the rest to be shared by 774 Local Government Areas.
“I do not think it is helpful for us to question whether Nigeria is a reality. So I ask you as young people to recognise that every country has its own share of problems and none of those problems can be resolved because the people have perfected the act of lamentation.
“There is no nation that doesn’t have problems. It is only Nigerians that can build Nigeria. We can’t keep crying over what we have lost yesterday. But we can resolve to do things differently tomorrow.
“I appeal to our youths not to judge the future of Nigeria by the failure of the past leaders and even the failings of the current leaders.”
Others who spoke at the event were Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo who noted that Edo state has laid good example on how to protect ‘one man, one vote’ and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin who posited that “when things happen and we continue to agonise without organizing for a change, it’s like expecting a picture in a calendar to shed tears”.
