AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA, CAN, LAGOS STATE CHAPTER, HIS LORDSHIP, RT REV. DR. S.T.V ADEGBITE, GPJ AT A MEDIA BRIEFING HELD ON MONDAY, 6TH MARCH, 2023 TO ANNOUNCE CAN’s ENDORSEMENT OF GOVERNOR BABAJIDE OLUSOLA SANWO-OLU FOR A SECOND TERM.
Dear friends and partners from various media organisations here present, I welcome you all heartily. As you know, the Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday 11th March 2023 and since we are in Lent, a season when amongst other things we soberly and solemnly go before God to seek His face for divine guidance and direction, we have not stopped praying for peaceful elections and one that will produce men and women that will give our country and our State their hearts, minds and everything required so that citizens can experience in full the dividends of democracy.
Today, we would like to inform the residents of Lagos State, that the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in Lagos and the Christian community in the state are throwing our weight solidly behind the candidacy of the incumbent Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat for a second term. It is important to make abundantly clear that the Christian community in Lagos, led by leaders including my humble myself, demanded for a Christian Governor, and by divine providence and listening ears of party leaders, the present Governor was given to us. Let me say that this endorsement is based primarily on one thing; PERFORMANCE and nothing else.
His achievements in the critical sectors of the economy of the state are endearing, and we are convinced that it needs to be sustained. The recently completed multibillion naira Imota Rice Mill project, foreign direct investments coming through the Lekki Free Trade Zone, the recently completed first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line and the commencement of the second phase called the Red Line, repositioning of the health sector through the building of more health centres at the grassroots, and a free health policy for children below 18 years and adults above 65 years of age not minding your ethnic background or religious affiliations are just a few of the things we have seen and consistency is what we need. These, amongst others, are projects, programmes, and policies capable of creating employment for our teeming youths and helping in strengthening our economic fortunes.
We would like to place on record that in no way are we against any candidate by this endorsement. Our blessings are certainly with all of them. But as a people guided by an objective sense of history on how we got to where we are, and based on what we have seen and experienced so far, putting our trust in Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu who has done extremely well the first time around is the safest and right thing to do.
Let me also add, that the Christian and Muslim communities in Lagos have enjoyed amity and a peaceful coexistence due largely to a flawless and well-nurtured structure built over time, which is part of the intentional and purposeful leadership provided by the government of Lagos which again bears eloquent testimony to his record of performance. I wish to task Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, that to whom much is given, much is equally expected. We look forward to more positive steps in governance in Lagos State that would continue to take us to an enviable height and put more smiles on the faces of Lagosians. Policies and programmes that would help retain our position as the cynosure of all eyes and pacesetter within the Federation and consolidate as the 5th largest economy on the African continent.
