The Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has said Governor Babatunde Fashola is ruling with impunity and short-changing Lagos civil servants by paying N12,000 instead of the N18,000 stipulated minimum wage.
“Civil servants of Lagos State, the government in place that has refused to pay the minimum wage is laying claim to the Centre of Excellence. Lagos State pays N12,000 instead of N18,000,” Agbaje said. “Be assured we shall pay you the N18,000 minimum wage.”
The PDP candidate spoke at Awolowo Road, where the party’s campaign train stopped yesterday.
Present were Agbaje’s Running Mate, Mrs. Safurat Abdulkarim –PDP State Chairman –Captain Tunji Shelle, the Secretary –Alhaji Wahab Owokoniran, and several members of the executive.
Agbaje predicted a change in government from the ruling APC to PDP in Lagos State, saying, that Lagosians were sick of the party in power and its anti-people tendencies.
According to a statement by Agbaje’s Director of Media and Publicity, FELIX OBOAGWINA, the PDP candidate stated that this was aside the fact that Lagos civil servants were denied leave allowance and bonuses.
Continuing, Agbaje expressed happiness that the people had resolved to show APC the door in the coming polls.
As Agbaje addressed the thousands of supporters and traders under the hot January sun, a “Black Maria,” belonging to the notorious “Task Force” drove through the crowded street and the people jeered.
“That is the lorry they use to harass market women, to carry their load and they think they are doing something good. God is watching them. My dear market people, we in PDP are here for you,” he said. “The job of government is not to harass you but to take care of you.”
According to him, the forces of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were incapable of stopping the people’s determination to produce a change in the governance of Lagos.
“Dem put advert say na CHANGE dem want. By God’s grace, February 28, there will be change in Lagos,” he said.
And the crowd responded with a loud AMEN!
He mocked the trio of APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Fashola and their party’s Governorship Candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, whom he said had ganged up to malign him.
Speaking of Ambode, he said in pidgin: “When e wan talk, e say im be graduate for the age of 21. Tell am say Jimi Agbaje too graduate for 21 years old –so dat one no special. E say im get government experience for Lagos State; and which experience be dat –local government experience. And una know as local government dey take harass una.”
He told the cheering crowd that a PDP government would stop the controversial policy of deporting non-indigenes from Lagos State, the stated received value from a spicing of both indigenes and non-indigenes.
Agbaje also rated the performance of the APC government in Lagos and declared it a failure.
In education, he said, since Lagos children performed woefully in their school leaving examinations, the government could not claim to have succeeded in that sector.
Accusing the government of proclaiming a non-performing free health programme, he asked the crowd: “Una fit go hospital without say una hold money for hand? So for health, e pass, or e fail?”
“E fail!” the crowd yelled with passion.
Similar responsorial verdicts were passed as Agbaje called for the crowd’s verdict on the government’s policies on teachers, okada, teachers, students, traders and civil servants.
“But e pass for flower sha!” he said, mocking the government’s tree and flower-planting initiatives.
According to him, Governor Fashola had lashed out at him in response to the APC government’s weaknesses being highlighted at PDP rallies addressed by Agbaje.
“Na me fail am? No be im fail imself?” he queried. “For February 28, as dem no pass, we go drive dem comot.”
He continued: “You know the name of dis party –APC. You know say I be Pharmacist. Make I tell una say dat name no dey for book again o! You know say dem dey change name with every election. When dem fail election, dem go change name.”
Earlier, Lagos PDP Chairman, Hon. Tunji Shelle decried the impunity on the part of the APC in the state, which was impacting on the resources of the state, as funds were not well applied.
Shelle said that the state government awarded road contracts at N1billion per kilometre, stressing that Agbaje would change such cases of over-invoicing to improve the fortunes of the people.
