A former Commissioner for Commerce in Lagos State and the latest entrant into the governorship race of Lagos state on the platform of the ruling, All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu has described Lagos as stinking, nasty and filled with traffic gridlocks, under the watch of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Sanwoolu, taking an apparent swipe at the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode disclosed this as part of his declaration speech at the formal declaration of interest to challenge the incumbent at the forthcoming APC primaries slated for 29th September, 2018.
‘If elected, I shall immediately embark on the full restoration of the glory of Lagos and make you, the people the cornerstone of government, revamp the environment that has become a cause of serious anxiety to Lagosians and relive Lagos of the persistent gridlocks that have made our lives brutish and nasty’ he submitted.
Assuring Lagosians, and in particular, members of the ruling party, APC of his unalloyed loyalty, Sanwoolu further declared that, ‘I Babajide Olusola Sanwoola shall be a true party man, in the real definition of the word, by running an inclusive government, according to the ideology of the APC and the long-term benefits of the great citizens of Lagos State, the organs and the leadership of the party, he said.
Speaking further, the governorship aspirant ‘urge all party members to ‘come out with your membership cards and slips to vote for me at the direct primaries ordered by the party so we can continue the journey towards peace, order and development of our dear State’.
On what qualifies him for the exalted number job in Lagos State, Sanwo-Olu noted that, ‘My public sector career has crowned the glorious achievements of my journey through private sector where I worked in senior managemerial positions in financial institutions such as Lead Merchant Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), First Atlantic Bank, now FCMB and participated in major economic projects such as the privatization and commercialization of Federal government owned companies and parastatals’.
Sanwo-olu came into public service as Special Adviser to the then Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro in 2003. He thereafter served as acting Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the final months of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
He was later re-appointed by Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN as Honourable Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions.
He is currently the MD / CEO of the state-owned Lagos State Development and Property Company, LSDPC.