Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo, the Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Civic Engagements, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will scrap the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and stifle development, if allowed to take over in Lagos State.
Olabinjo, a two-term Chairman of Ojokoro LCDA and APC chieftain, made the remark when the campaign team of Mr. Rasheed Makinde (APC-Ifako Ijaiye II) at the Lagos State House of Assembly, paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday.
He said that the turnout during the Presidential and National Assembly elections was not impressive enough.
Olabinjo stressed the need for party supporters to work hard to ensure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 governorship and house of assembly elections.
“I am not impressed with the past election; not that we didn’t win, but our people didn’t come out the way we wanted. We must not sit down and allow PDP.
“If we allow PDP to take over Lagos State from us, it is not Asiwaju Bola Tinubu that is going to suffer it. It is not Governor Akinwunmi Ambode that is going to suffer it, it is you and I.
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“We have known for many years that the PDP does not want those 37 LCDAs to stand, and that is what brings development to the nooks and crannies of the state.
“So, by giving PDP the opportunity to take Lagos State from us, it does mean they will scrap the 37 LCDAs, not minding thousands of people working across the councils.
“A lot of people are working there, and it has brought development to local governments. Had it been we were still under Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, a lot of development we are seeing here won’t come to Ojokoro,” he said.
Olabinjo, who later inaugurated a water project at Ward D area, urged the market women and community leaders to mobilise votes for APC during Saturday’s elections.
The governor’s aide, who is the Lagos State Coordinator of the National Committee of Buhari Support Group, however, said that PDP was not a threat to APC in the state.
Olabinjo said that Makinde had performed well, hence the need to give him the mandate to represent the constituency for another term in Lagos State Assembly.
“We need to work, and we need to talk to our people at home.
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“We need to work, come out en-masse on Saturday. We want more than 70, 000 votes in Ojokoro. We should stand as one in unity and work for the party,” Olabinjo advised.
Earlier, Makinde said that his visit was to thank Olabinjo for his leadership role, and to seek his prayers and support.
Makinde, who commended all the seven leaders of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in the area, called for unity to deliver massive votes for the party on Saturday.
He said that the water projects would alleviate the suffering of the people, and he would not relent in improving their situation.
Mr. Kehinde Bashir, a resident of Ward D, said: “This water project is okay, but it is not enough. It is the first benefit the Ward D will be getting in four years. Our roads are bad; we need empowerment for the youth.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lawmaker, who inaugurated nine water projects on Monday, inaugurated another two on Tuesday. (NAN)