… Jandor visiting is unacceptable – APC
Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran also called Jandor, Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s election, on Saturday visited the homes of AbdulLateef Kolapo and Osinachi Ndukwe, two of the victims, whose vehicles were seized for violating traffic laws, and whose vehicles were auctioned by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The governorship candidate assured them and other Lagosians of hope, which he promised his government was bringing if elected into office in 2023.
However, the PDP standard bearer reiterated the fact that his visit does not suggest that he was supporting individuals breaking laws, stressing that he was not opposed to having traffic law and regulations in place or encouraging anybody driving against traffic, but said what he was against is any law that takes away people’s means of livelihood, and leaving them and all their dependant helpless and hopeless.
AbdulLateef and Osinachi were among the owners of over 134 seized vehicles which were auctioned last Thursday by the Lagos State government, a development that led Osinachi and his mother, a 49- year-old widow, to openly weep as they begged for the price reduction, while their only vehicle bought at the rate of N1.8 million on hired purchase was being auctioned for N450,000.
The governorship candidate accompanied by his running mate, Funke Akindele- Bello, while speaking at the residence of AbdulLateef, located on Oyewuwo Street, Mushin, pointedly said his visit was not to show support for the violation of traffic law but to let it be known that it was not appropriate to have laws in place that would completely take away one’s livelihood, and also to bring the message of hope Lagosians ahead of 2023.
Adediran, while promising to review some of the laws on the ground, which he described as punitive, also decried a situation where markets were announced closed “just because one individual or two committed a sin.”
“Our visit here today is not that we are against the law on traffic, not that we are against it.
Jandor who stated that the law will be repealed once he emerges the governor of Lagos State in 2023, said, “If government makes law, it should not be that that would take away one’s means of livelihood. That is why we are here. We came here to tell you that you should not lose hope, that a government is coming in Lagos, a government that would not just lock markets just because of one individual or two committed a sin. Our government if voted into office in next year would look into some of the laws that are punitive and review them,” he said.
“Why should one’s livelihood be taken away from him just because he drove against traffic and not that he killed or committed a heinous crime? If they take your means of livelihood, how do they want you to survive?” he queried.
“Government should know that people heckling for a livelihood have a lot of dependants. If anybody commits an offence, it should not be that his means of livelihood should be taken away from him.
“Yes, there should be a penalty, but not his means of livelihood being taken away completely from him,” he added.
The PDP chieftain also repeated same message, while speaking at the Ogba residence of Osinachi, just as he gave some undisclosed amount of money to the two victims to assist them to start a new life.
APC however replied PDP that the visiting was unacceptable.
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State on Sunday chided the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jide Adediran (Jandor) for visiting a citizen whose vehicle was auctioned by the state government for violating traffic laws.
It was reported that the PDP governorship candidate and his running mate visited the homes of two owners of the auctioned vehicles in Lagos.
Adediran visited the homes of Lateef Kolapo and Osinachi Ndukwe, both drivers whose vehicles were up for auction on Thursday.
Lagos APC, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Seye Oladejo, said the move by Adediran amounts to turning compassion and charity on its head, adding that it was an act that was totally unacceptable in any decent society.
Oladejo said: “Our attention has been drawn to the recent characteristic charade of the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos state, Jide Adediran.
“It’s saddening that Jandor and his deputy, Funke Akindele, have graduated from playing politics with human lives to blatantly encouraging the break down of law and order in our dear state.
“The visit to citizens who paid the price for violating state traffic laws, compensating , inducing and encouraging them is an act that’s totally unacceptable in any decent society. The move of Jandor amounts to turning compassion and charity on its head.
“It was pathetic that he simply interpreted the loss of his hosts to having their means of livelihood taken away from them when in actual fact, people have lost their lives to accidents as a result of driving against traffic.
“However, we are not surprised by the promotion of lawlessness by the opposition party as it remains consistent with their desperation as we count down to the next elections.
“Their role in the spread of Covid with the promotion and sponsorship of needless mass gatherings- ENDSARS- during pandemic and the social events hosted by his deputy, Funke Akindele are pointers to the lawlessness of the duo and their party.
“We expect Funke to be eternally grateful to the state governor for receiving less than a slap on her wrist for a life threatening crime against the state. There’s no doubt that good governance can only thrive where law and order prevail.
“We recommend the recent honest admission of the former national deputy chairman of PDP, Chief Bode George, that the opposition party has no hope of winning elections in the South West to the political neophytes so that they can put their desperation in check.
“They may wish to note that Lagosians are not fooled by their constantly playing to the gallery because they have nothing to offer. Our government has the political will and duty to uphold the state laws at all times without succumbing to needless blackmail in the name of irresponsible politicking.”
