A 93-year-old former Secretary of the Lagos State Education policy implementation committee, Liadi Adio, has prostrated before President Bola Tinubu, begging the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to mandate the party leaders to zone the governorship slot to Badagry Local Government Area of the state.
Adio, who also removed his cap before making the appeal, stated that this is a gesture that could further explain to the President and APC leaders that the leadership role has eluded them enough.
The education expert disclosed that the decision to prostrate for president is to ensure that one of his ambitions for Badagry is fulfilled before the state celebrates its 60th anniversary next year.
He added that the ambition is for a Badagry indigene to rule the state using the political platform of the progressives, the APC.
According to him, Badagry indigenes have been denied leadership roles many times in the state without reasons, saying Tinubu and APC leaders should use the 2027 poll to test their leadership qualities.
He made the appeal on Tuesday during a press briefing held in his premises in the Badagry Local Government Area of the state.
He said, “We all want Asiwaju to give us the gubernatorial ticket for the APC. We have someone who can deliver the dividends of democracy to all, irrespective of their status in the state.
“We believe that the president will not go the wrong way because it is the turn of Badagry to produce the next governor for Lagos state. There are many instances in which the President has taught us that internal discussion is the best. We believe in his leadership style.
“We have done all our findings and interviews for those that we believe could do it, and after all processes had been concluded, we have decided that Samuel Ajose is the individual who has the right leadership skills to pilot affairs of the state.
“It is sad that since the creation of the state, Badagry has been denied many opportunities, including allowing our sons and daughters to show the leadership qualities they have acquired over the years”.
Also, former Commissioner for Rural Development under Tinubu’s administration as Lagos State governor, Saka Senayon, added that after a thorough screening, the most capable, considering his financial and intellectual capacity, is Ajose, saying these qualities have not been matched by anyone.
Senayon added that Ajose, an entrepreneur with investments indifferent sectors, will use his connections in the business sector to attract investors into the state.
The former commissioner stressed that Ajose has the ability to increase Lagos’s internally generated revenue (IGR) through uncovering all hidden sources of revenue for the state.
He said: “Lagos state was created in 1967, and since the creation of the state, none of the indigenes of Badagry have been granted permission to rule the state.
“This is a subtle appeal to the President and the APC leadership that it is the time of the Badagry people. This is a unanimous appeal that the gubernatorial slot should be given to the people of Badagry. We have never been allowed to rule the state either military or civilian.
“And after over five decades of Lagos, we know and believe that it is our turn to rule and the best person for the job is Ajose, popularly called SMA”.
