Veteran Broadcaster, Jimi Disu on Wednesday reprimanded the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu stating that not only was the State gradually drifting under him, but that hoodlums (Area boys/ Agberos) hijacked governance in the State. This is just as Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has attributed his success in developing the State to the fact that he does not take orders from any godfather.
Disu, who spoke during the #MorningCrossfire show on Nigeria Info FM monitored by our correspondent, said agberos disguising as members of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW were fast becoming a government of their own, while eating fat from the system.
Apparently reacting to a Save-Our-Soul message from transporters plying the Mile 2-Badagry axis, under the aegis of Mega-City Transport Association, MCTA on the exorbitant high ticket fee of N7000 per day, per vehicle, being collected from drivers by National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and the Road Transport Employee Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Disu said it had become obvious that agberos were having a filled day while the government has remained helpless.
Disu said the problem had long started over 20 years ago, noting that these agberos were tools in the hands of government, who use them during elections and then give them free hands to operate.
“It is a racket. It is being said that these guys own the government. These agbero guys are the ones in charge of this government in Lagos State. It’s quite obvious, you don’t need a soothsayer. They (agberos) go about with police protection, go on youtube you will see them boasting that we went to see this man or that man and he gave us N2million or N4million and our own constituency, the media, is complicit.
“I feel ashamed now to be called a journalist because we are complicit. This is a problem that is over 20 years old when the monster started growing, but everybody was being fed, but those of us who were the lone voice in the universe were saying that *o ma le yin, eyin e lo de yi* (it will backfire and we can now see the repercussion).
“So for those younger ones who do not understand, this thing is beyond you and if you don’t make a concerted effort, it’s going to get worse because the next election day in 2023, a lot of our own people will still be tweeting, they won’t go to the polls. They won’t go with the determination that we must put an end to this monster that we have created in Lagos,” he said.
Disu also said he was gradually losing faith in the present administration in Lagos despite earlier feelers that a change in the leadership of the State would be in the best interest of the people.
“I’m getting a bit disappointed with governance in Lagos State and for somebody who came out openly and put his reputation on the line to say this governor will do good; I’m getting a bit worried and I’ve had to say to myself that our governor, very soon will have no choice than to be his own man or, I will leave that other side open,” Disu said.
Reacting to the complaints by e-hailing drivers under the National Union of Professional App-based Workers, who faulted the move by the State Government to introduce Lagos Ride scheme, a direct competition to the likes of Uber and Bolt, Disu backed their argument that the government ought to focus on regulation than float a scheme without carrying the stakeholders along.
He urged Sanwo-Olu to man up to the position entrusted in his hands, noting that the current loopholes in his government were making Lagosians recall the administration of his predecessor, Akinwunmi Ambode who according to them was more decisive.
“A second term is not a matter of life and death. Ambode didn’t do a second term and he’s enjoying himself now. Infact, some people are now missing his own time. Can you see how life goes? Some people are saying that he was a bit more decisive than what we have now but I don’t want to get into that politics, but the State is drifting and the man we appointed as the captain of the ship seems to be missing at the wheel,” Disu said.
Meanwhile, Wike during an interview with Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu said Rivers State was thriving under him due to his passion to carry out daunting tasks and projects, while adding that he was also lucky that “no godfather is controlling me.”
Wike, who recently played host to Momodu, also received the Minister for Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare who inspected some sports facilities in the State and other ongoing and completed projects in the State.
