Lagos is not under jackboot of any godfather —Sanwo-Olu

The All Progressives Congress candidate for Lagos State governorship election, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that he started considering ...

The All Progressives Congress candidate for Lagos State governorship election, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that he started considering running as governor after his children convinced him that he has all it takes to occupy the office.

Speaking on a radio programme, Morning Digest, hosted by Mr Jimi Disu on Tuesday in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu, who disclosed that his children are in their 20s, said the ambition started during an informal discussion with his children

He said that his children drew his attention to the fact that he had been a seasoned administrator, with about 17 years' service in government, a period during which, he said, he had served in various capacities that had exposed him to the intricacies of governance and economic policy-making.

He said he decided to take the plunge when it became obvious that their party would not be supporting the incumbent, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The governorship hopeful also alleged that he and his running mate, Obafemi Hamzat, have had to depend on private financial support, as opposed to the insinuation that their campaigns are being funded by the Lagos State Government.

Ambode did not give us a kobo,", Sanwo-Olu said.

He also denied the allegation that APC National National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has Lagos in his grips and that governance in the state is how he wants it.

"There is no truth in the allegation that Lagos is not free. No one is under any bondage to any godfather.

"If you must know, since last September and up until now, Asiwaju has not engaged me and Hamzat in any conversation.

"He has never been a part of our campaign so far. Rather, as a campaign coordinator for Mr President's re-election, he has been at the centre.

"I and Hamzat have been left alone to make the best of our campaign efforts, and we are doing that already.

"Lagos is not under the jackboot of any godfather," Sanwo-Olu explained.

While suggesting that he could offer consultancy job to his closest challenger, Mr Jimi Agbaje, if elected governor, Sanwo-Olu said he could not understand why Agbaje keeps putting himself up for election "every four years."

Reacting to Mr Disu's insistence that he speak on Oba Rilwanu Akiolu's statement that only APC is allowed to govern Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said in order not to be seen as partisan, traditional rulers must stay out of politics and be seen to be a father to all.