Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola set the bar as to what to expect in Lagos state. There was no doubting the fact that his successor would have his work cut out for him to maintain and exceed the frenetic pace Fashola’s administration displayed at the beginning of his first term.
The All Progressives Congress sold us long and hard on the necessity of continuity, and also sold us the tagline that with an APC led Federal government, the sky was really going to be the starting place for Lagos.
And amidst numerous model looking shots by Akinwumi Ambode and not enough convincing talk over rival Jimi Agbaje who continually shot himself in the foot throughout his campaign, Ambode emerged as the governor of Lagos state.
As Nigerians and Lagosians are learning very quickly, change is easier said than delivered. While being careful not to deliver premature judgments, the decline in Lagos is becoming too grievous to ignore.
The spate of armed robberies continues seemingly unchecked as traffic congestion becomes even more unexplainable, road construction work seems to have entered into a state of general abandon. Everywhere one looks in Lagos, there is little or no consolation.
Having had the recent misfortune of going to Ejigbo through Okota road, I couldn’t help but conclude that our government had gone to sleep on us. The deplorable Okota and Ejigbo road will try the patience and the spine of many a saint.
Governor Ambode’s efforts at engaging angry citizens through Tweet chats and town hall meetings and his recent personal patrol effort with his security team perhaps deserve some praise. However, the grim reality is, none of these things have resulted in any true improvement.
Despite promising three helicopters to combat crime, the traffic robberies continue. Governor Ambode needs to move out of campaign mode, as only results will save the day. His seemingly superficial responses to events have left many Lagosians unimpressed.
The era of photo ops has passed, as we say in pidgin, the Governor of Lagos needs to “show his working”
The man is not capable of ruling Lagos. Period!