The Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) says it has tentatively postponed this year’s commemoration of Saint Valentine’s Day till February 23 due to the presidential and National Assembly elections slated for February 16.
Mr Abdulateef Olajide, the Agency’s Head of Public Affairs told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos state on Tuesday that it was postponed to avoid any form of interference with the forthcoming elections.
NAN reports that the Valentine’s Day is usually commemorated on February 14, while the 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 16.
READ ALSO: Farmer remanded for allegedly defiling minor
According to him, the environment has been observed to be tensed already and the agency is trying to guide against miscreants hijacking the event to perpetrate atrocities before the elections.
He said that the Valentine’s Day funfair had been scheduled for February 23 and it would have its theme as “Love in the Park” to be held at the Johnson Jakande Tinubu Park, Ikeja.
“Due to the closeness between the date of the Valentine’s Day and that of presidential and national assembly elections, we have postponed our annual Valentine’s Day funfair till February 23, during Easter period.
“We made this decision this week after observing that the environment is already tensed and we will not like a situation whereby miscreants hijack the event.
“This Valentine’s Day funfair has been scheduled tentatively for February 23 at Johnson Jakande Tinubu (JJT) Park when Nigerian artistes will entertain fun seekers.
“This will be interesting because we will have art exhibitions, video games, lots of food and series of performances from our artistes,” he said.
Olajide, however, said that fun seekers would be allowed to gain entrance into any of the parks located in different areas of the state to have fun on Valentine’s Day.
He added that security measures had been put in place to guarantee the security and safety of revellers while they made use of the facilities within the parks for their pleasure.
“ Some of the parks people can visit are: the Muri Okunola Park, Victora Island; the Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Alausa, Ikeja; the Shasha Recreational Park, Ajako, the Badagry Recreational Park, Idale-Topo, Badagry,” he said.(NAN)