A group of eminent citizens of Lagos State under the auspices of Omo Eko Pataki, on Thursday endorsed the candidature of the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes- Vivour, as the candidate to vote for in the Governorship election on Saturday.
Membership of the group include Chief Bode George, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd), Dr. Aderemi Akintoye, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor- Akerele, Chief Olabode Oladeinde, Dr. Layi Ogunbambi and others.
Moving the motion for the adoption of Rhodes-Vivour, Dr.Ogunbambi said by supporting the Labour Party candidate, the indigenes of the State will realise their dream of a better Lagos, which they have been aspiring for. The motion for his adoption was supported by Dr. Akintoye.
Speaking on the reason for adopting Rhodes- Vivour, George said: “This is our finest hour to immortalise the memory of our dear son, the Late Engr. Funsho Williams. We must not let his contributions be in vain. On this premise, Omo Eko Pataki group, a new socio political movement, is born to ensure that our electoral process in Lagos will be free, fair and just. We insist on the use of Electronic transfer of results rather than the unreliable, archaic, manual system. O to ge (it is enough).
“Our dear State shall under God have a new birth of freedom, that will usher in government of the people, by the people and for the people. Such government shall never perish in our state.”
According to George, what the group is after was to eradicate selfish governance. He, therefore, urged the electorate to come out en mass and vote and not give room for intimidation.
“We seek freedom for all; freedom for the underprivileged, freedom for the poor and freedom for the rich. We must ensure that we eradicate selfish governance in our State.
All registered voters must come out to cast their votes without fear. On this, I appeal to all security agencies to ensure protection of life and property of our people.”
George charged police authorities to arrest marauders and violent thugs. “The opportunity to liberate ourselves by the power of the Almighty God has arrived,” he said
Chief George, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged the electorate to vote Rhodes – Vivour for governorship position, and vote PDP candidates for the House of Assembly.
He, however, assured all victims of recent spate of attacks in the state and all those who have lost properties and their sources of livelihood during the electioneering period, to be rest assured that the issues would be revisited in the new era of a legally-elected democratic government.
George, who described the election as the last battle of Berlin, urged all civil servants and pensioners to team up with the new cause.
Responding to his endorsement by the group, Rhodes- Vivour said he is very proud of the group. “I thank you Lagosians and leaders of this group for speaking the truth to power. We once had a Lagos where there were provisions of social amenities, and every parent was proud of sending their children and wards to public schools, and that I will replicate when I am elected governor.”
The Labour Party candidate who was formerly in the PDP said he chose to build a pathway, so as to realise his dream of becoming the governor of Lagos State, adding that he believes with the pathway created, his dream of becoming governor of the state would be realised.
Rhodes -Vivour also commended the leadership of the PDP in the state for being in the opposition all the while, saying it is not easy to be an opposition party in Lagos for such a long time.
