Wale Elegbede reports 
Wale Elegbede reports on the role played by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the Ondo State governorship election which the All Progressives Congress (APC) won
The 2020 Ondo State governorship election produced smiles and tears, losers and winners, heroes and villains as well as additional feathers to the political caps of some stakeholders. One of those who got a notch in their belt after the keenly contested election was the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu served as the general coordinator of his party for the election in his capacity as chairman of the 104-member All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Ondo Governorship Election.
The Lagos State governor and members of his team, who were inaugurated 56 days ago by the APC National Caretaker Committee headed by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, successfully delivered for the party by ensuring the renewal of the mandate of its candidate in the poll, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, served as the council’s deputy chairman while Comrade Mustapha Salihu served as the scribe of the high-level campaign team, which also includes serving and former governors as well as lawmakers, among others.
As enticing as the position was for Sanwo-Olu, it was also delicate and glassy, especially on two major premises that some political analysts proffered. Some of them subsequently interrogated the governor’s choice to lead such an intense battle for the soul of Ondo since he has not had such experience under his belt. In fact, some of them claimed that the governor was being set-up to fail with such an appointment.
Comparatively, they tied their premise on the political field experience of the Lagos governor, claiming that such baptism of fire might be too hot for him to quickly acclimatize with. But leadership, as they say, is simply innate and not circumstantial. More importantly, when the APC lost the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, the heat became intense but the Lagos governor appeared unruffled of similar treatment happening in the Sunshine State.
He rather stood his ground, worked more and talked less, just as he told all that cared to listen that the party will retain Ondo. Given that he walks his talks, Sanwo- Olu rolled out the strategic framework with members of his council, dotted his I’s and crossed his T’s, mapped out his strategies and capitalized on the strength of the party across the 18 local governments of the state to ensure mobilization and inclusion within and outside the state APC.
For instance, Sanwo-Olu, not only joined the campaign train of Governor Akeredolu, but canvassed for votes for his party and its candidate in some towns and local government areas of the Ondo State, especially in Okitipupa, where a crowd of party faithful trooped out on September 28, to catch a glimpse of ‘Sanwo-Eko’ as many referred to him during the campaign tour.
Right from the commencement of the campaign journey from the Government House, Alagbaka in Akure to Okitipupa, where Sanwo-Olu and Akeredolu met traditional rulers and the electorate to seek their support, hundreds of Ondo residents came out, lining up on the road sides as well as the campaign ground, waving hands and shouting ‘Sanwo-Olu,’ ‘Sanwo-Eko’, ‘Aketi’, ‘4+4,’ ‘Legacy Keeper,’ ‘Talk and Do,’ and ‘Mr. Infrastructure’ as the long campaign convoy drove from Akure to Okitipupa.
Showing excitement at the sight of Governors Sanwo-Olu and Akeredolu in the campaign train, people living around Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo came out in large numbers to express support for APC. The enthusiasm of the crowd forced the campaign train to stop for few minutes for the candidate to interact with people in Ondo before continuing the journey to Okitipupa.
The campaign train also had a brief stop at Ore, and some adjoining towns for Governor Akeredolu to acknowledge the teeming supporters who filed out to identify with him.
Their excitement without any iota of doubt was as a result of the Ore flyover constructed by the Akeredolu administration.. Sanwo-Olu and Akeredolu were also given a heroic welcome at Ode Aiye, a boundary town that connects Ondo to Okitipupa. APC members and party’s supporters as well as indigenes of the town, dressed in the ruling party’s attires joined the campaign train, moving in motorcycles and vehicles from Ode-Aye to Okitipupa.
They were so excited to see Governor Sanwo-Olu joining the campaign train. The sight of brooms rented the air as a crowd of APC chieftains, members as well as supporters trooped out in thousands to welcome the campaign train that moved into Ikaleland with pomp and
glamour. Speaking during the rally in Okitipupa Local Government Area, Governor Sanwo-Olu said APC administration in Ondo State had performed creditably well and therefore deserved a re-election for continuity. He said Governor Akeredolu has performed very well during his first term in office by delivering on his electoral promises, especially in the areas of good governance, road construction, infrastructure and provision of dividends of democracy to the people of Ondo State.
The Lagos State governor, while stressing the need for continuity in Ondo State, said the people should believe in what their governor has done in less than four years in office and reward him with their votes in the October 10 governorship election. He implored the state’s traditional rulers present to support the candidacy of Governor Akeredolu and work towards his emergence for a second term in office.
He added that the entire APC leadership at national, South-West zone and state levels are solidly behind Akeredolu’s re-election bid and therefore urged the people of Ondo South Senatorial District to support APC.
His words: “As the Chairman of the APC National Campaign Council, it is not enough for me to listen to the news about Ondo. I have come here to see things for myself and I am very happy with what I have seen here. ”I have come here to campaign for my brother based on the good work he has been doing and we see that he deserves another four years. APC governors in the South-West are solidly behind him. All of us in APC are fully in support of him.”
Sanwo-Olu, also reiterated during a rally at Methodist Primary School in Okitipupa, that Akeredolu was ready to surpass his own expectations, and thereby urged the electorate to vote for APC and defend their ballot. Curiously, some analysts who inter rogated the choice of Sanwo-Olu a few days ago, have already turned the heat on his Oyo state counterpart, Seyi Makinde, who served in a similar position as Sanwo-Olu for his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo State governorship poll.
In what was surmised as Sanwo- Olu versus Makinde battle in Ondo State because the duo are first-term governors and they are both from the South-West, the political pundits averred that Sanwo-Olu has shown class. In another stride, some informed observers praised the governor’s decision to stay back in Ondo and not derail the party’s chances and strategies amid calls by some people that he should physically address issues raised by #EndSARS protesters in the state.
They opined that Governor Sanwo- Olu has cleared demonstrated that he has full confidence in his deputy, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, by giving him the power to act on his behalf over the matter and others since he is also on a national assignment in the Sunshine State.
For Lagos residents, there is no doubt that governance and political capacity of the man they aptly call Sanwo- Eko, especially as his THEME agenda for the state resonates with them.
With the governor’s risen profile through his performance as the Incident Commander of COVID-19 in Lagos State, last weekend’s victory of the APC under his leadership is another notch in the belt and his curriculum.
Undoubtedly, the input and influence of Sanwo-Olu and his determination to work with other stakeholders in the party was an added advantage to APC’s course in Ondo as he was able to win the hearts of the electorate alongside Akeredolu.
Of course, the outcome of the Ondo election has clearly redefined any narration about the political acumen and strategy of the Lagos governor and it is only left to be seen how this would be replicated in the Lagos East senatorial election scheduled to take place in two weeks’ time.
