GISTALERT: Governor Ambode Owes Us Answers

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode might have spent only a few months in office, but a close look at his administration says a lot on whether his approach will be anything more successful compared to his predecessor or not 
                  

In a quick response to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s recent promise of a new Lagos in a few years, we should ask a few questions so that, if nothing, it brings current trends into perspective were we to appraise this administration in the coming months vis-a-vis campaign promises.

These questions are borne entirely out of present happenings, like The Punch’sreport of Wednesday, July 9 wherein his Excellency, in a meeting with a group of investors, promised to “transform the state with remarkable changes within four years. In a quick response to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s recent promise of a new Lagos in a few years, we should ask a few questions so that, if nothing, it brings current trends into perspective were we to appraise this administration in the coming months vis-a-vis campaign promises.

These questions are borne entirely out of present happenings, like The Punch’sreport of Wednesday, July 9 wherein his Excellency, in a meeting with a group of investors, promised to “transform the state with remarkable changes within four years.

We say this because plunging into public funds, squandering time and energy on projects that don’t spread evenly to the populace isn’t why we are here.

The people deserve more. There’s no way we are improving statecraft without an even system, a system where dividends reach all the ends of the state, even though in uneven proportions.

There is the need to address this because Governor Ambode already has a carved-out path to follow. There is a superb template for him to enjoy and ride upon. Much of the cut-throat, hand-wringing battles have been fought for him by Babatunde Raji Fashola. And so the governor has zero excuses to give if he doesn’t surpass his predecessor in terms of results, because surpass he must.

This leads us to ask if Fashola really did well, if he was a monumental success in office. The answers to this are simple. Now, you look back at the Fashola administration and realize that for all the criticisms he faced he fought a good fight in many respects.

You want to censure him because you hear of how much he was elitist in his approach to governance then you drive through Jakande, IsoloBucknorIseriIjegun and realize that he made an impact after all in the not-so-urban areas, then you relax.

You are on the Baruwa-Ipaja-Ayobo roads and see interlocking pavestones, beautifully done; then you start to re-evaluate your notions of the man. This is how it ought to be. Let the actions speak volumes for you. This is how to stamp your foot on the sands of history.

Not to lose our train of thought here, the All Progressives Congress has been fair in Lagos so far. They have been okay but not great. And regardless of how much he did, I still have my reservations with the Fashola administration.

He could have succeeded in sanitizing Oshodi and a few other parks, but by and large he had nothing on miscreants in major parts of the metropolis.