•Denies nursing gubernatorial ambition
Segun James
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has subtly endorsed the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for a second term and dispelled rumours that he had a governorship ambition.
Gbajabiamila, who insisted that Sanwo-Olu deserved a second term based on his performers, spoke during an interview on a national television.
The surprise endorsement came on the hills of speculations that the speaker was nursing the ambition to challenge Sanwo-Olu for the governorship position in 2023.
But, according to the Speaker, Sanwo-Olu has positioned Lagos State on the path of growth, despite the state being hit by inadvertent crises in the past year.
Gbajabiamila said Sanwo-Olu has been doing a “good job” in governing Lagos, and that the governor must not be distracted on the assignment.
“The present Governor of Lagos State (Sanwo-Olu) is doing a good job. The fact that we had a one-term governor at one time doesn’t mean it is going to be the same forever. This governor is doing a good job under the current circumstances. It’s been a difficult time in his last two years and he has come out well. So, why should anyone upset the apple cart? I think he (Sanwo-Olu) is doing a good job.”
Asked if he had a governorship ambition, Gbajabiamila said: “That (question) provokes a smile. No, I don’t have any such plan and I don’t have immediate plan. I have a job I am doing right now; it’s a very tough job. Sometimes, it’s the most difficult job and I say it to people in the world. People don’t understand that, but this is not a forum I’m going to break it down.”
The Speaker reiterated that the task before him as nation’s number four citizen was enormous and tough enough for him to be distracted by the rumour.
“I don’t want distractions. I am working as a Speaker of the House of Representatives with a lot of responsibilities on my shoulder right now. Any other thing would be a distraction. As for Lagos State Governorship? I have not even thought about it. Why? Because the present governor is doing a good job.”
