Most residents of Lagos State are concerned about what happens in 2015 when
the maximum two terms prescribed by the Constitution for Governor Babatunde Raji
Fashola ends. This is not unexpected.
The almost eight years of the Fashola administration have brought to Lagos
some revolution rarely seen in this part of the world, to the residents’
applause and the envy of the opposition. The All Progressives Congress (APC)
government became some model for virtually every other state across the country
to copy.
Infrastructural development is aggressively pursued. Urban renewal
takes the centre stage. Education gets the desired attention, to position the
leaders of tomorrow.
Sen. Solomon
The gains of the improvement in the health sector from the time of Asiwaju
Ahmed Bola Tinubu are consolidated. To many Lagos residents, Fashola government
can go on ad infinitum.
Yet, like the masquerade festival that must end, the
Fashola administration will, sooner than later, wind up. At the twilight of the
government, the political space is crowded with politicians jostling to succeed
the governor.
Among the contenders are those who have inevitably attracted the tag of ‘the
anointed’ in the new age characterised by inclusiveness- that is, a situation
where political leaders are chosen by the people- rather than exclusiveness
-whereby political leaders assume office on the strength of their link to some
godfather. In the PDP, those already being promoted to pick the party’s ticket
include the Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, and Mr Jimi
Agbaje, who defected to the PDP.
The contenders for the APC ticket include Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon,
fondly called GOS, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Senator Gbenga
Ashafa. The difference in the prospects of the two dominant parties in Lagos
State, however, is that Fashola, with his sterling performance, has
significantly positioned the APC to make it the preferred party to produce the
governor’s successor.
Now, the questions on the lips of many Lagosians on the contenders in the
succession battle are legion. Who does the cap fit? Who among them has the clout
to take off from where Fashola will quit in 2015 and take Lagos to the next
level? Who has the capacity to ensure continuity? Who has the political
experience and, in truth and deed, can be said to be eminently qualified to step
into the shoes being left behind by the governor? We would have failed ourselves
and the coming generations of Lagosians if we fail to answer these questions
honestly with a view to arriving at the best candidate to succeed Fashola.
Many political analysts agree that of all the contenders for the Lagos
gubernatorial race across the two dominant parties, there is at least one who
not only stands out but also satisfies the Fashola succession criteria. A
grassroots politician who rose through the ranks, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju
Solomon has paid his dues in the politics of Lagos. On experience, he has almost
two decades of unblemished participation in progressive politics, leading to his
election into legislative and executive positions from 1998 till date.
This unbroken chain of upward progression culminated into his election in
2007 to represent Lagos West in the Senate, and later in 2011. In the United
States where we copied our own brand of politics from, being in the Senate
confers on one some political maturity, and it is from the upper chamber of
parliament that holders of higher offices like the president and governor are
sometimes elected. What makes Solomon essentially stand higher than the other
contenders for the Lagos Government House is that he is not just a senator. He
is a principal officer of the Senate- the Minority Whip.
The senator started off as a progressive politician and has consistently
maintained that credential. Way back in 1998 when he was elected into Lagos
House of Assembly on the platform of Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) to
represent Mushin 2 Constituency, perhaps many of those jostling to be governor
with him today were still finding it difficult to find their feet in the labour
market, not to talk of thinking about politics. Unfortunately he did not take
his seat in parliament before the Abacha transition collapsed.
Nevertheless, for Solomon, a promising journey into politics had begun. He
was merely taking after his father, Alhaji Rafiu Ishola Solomon, popularly
called R.I, who wielded influence in Lagos politics in the pre-independence era
up till the 80s, during which he was elected councillor to represent his
constituency, Ikorodu at the Lagos parliament then.
Fashola
At the outset of the fourth republic in 1999, the gubernatorial hopeful
pitched his tent with the progressive party- Alliance for Democracy (AD)- on
which platform he was elected the Chairman of Mushin Local Government. In 2003,
it was time for Solomon to move up the political ladder. Solomon ran for the
House of Representatives to represent Mushin Federal Constituency 1 and was
elected. In April 2007, he was elected to the Senate to represent Lagos West on
the Action Congress (AC) platform.
After taking his seat in the Senate, he was appointed to the Committees on
Works, Sports, Rules and Cooperation and Capital Market (Chairman). As a
senator, the Bills he sponsored include the Amendment to the National
Directorate of Employment Act, Electronic Commerce, Whistle Blowers Protection,
Institute of Capital Market Registrars, and Elderly Persons Centre, among
others.
In the run up to the 2011 elections, Solomon was unopposed in his bid in the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) primaries to run for election. He was
re-elected into the Senate. He has a good education background with a B.Sc in
political science obtained from the University of Lagos. Solomon’s activities
right from the time he assumed his first public office have been characterised
by people-oriented programmes. His activities have been scandal free-in essence,
he is incorruptible. He is a loyal party man.
He is a serious contender for the office of governor of Lagos State unlike
many other aspirants out there to use their being in the race to bargain for
lesser positions when the chips are down. He has a blueprint produced with a
clear understanding of how to continue to run the affairs of Lagos after the
Fashola administration in key areas such as education, health, the environment,
agriculture, youth development, infrastructural development and housing.
As
Solomon pursues with unparalleled zeal his aspiration for the 2015 Lagos
governorship seat, it is certain that a vote for him is a vote for the
consolidation of the Fashola administration’s achievements.
Campbell lives at Abraham Adesanya Housing Estate, Ajah, Lekki, Lagos