• Approves 20% salary increment for Lagos workers

By Lukman Olabiyi

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said his re-election was a confirmation that Lagosians chose competence and experience, on the march to true greatness.

He stated this while giving a victory speech for his re-election, after being declared as the 15 elected governor of the state by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were declared winner with 762,134 valid votes to Labour Party’s (LP) 312,329 and Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 62,449 votes.

Sanwo-Olu expressed readiness to work with other contestants in the just-concluded governorship poll, saying no winner, no vanquished.

He said elections were over now, and governance and the dividends of democracy must continue to be delivered, as there must be no break and no time-off.

According to him, his government would keep all promises made to the people of Lagos State.

“A few minutes ago, INEC formally announced the final results of the 2023 Lagos State governorship election. I have nothing but deep gratitude to you, the people of Lagos State, for overwhelmingly returning us for a second term.

“The outcome of this election affirms that, once again, Lagosians have chosen competence and experience, on this march to true greatness. Four years ago, you gave me cause to deliver a similar victory speech, and since then, I have been conscious of the great responsibility upon me and the administration.

“I have worked very hard to live up to this responsibility of governing the most important subnational economy in all of Africa.

“We certainly could not have done this by ourselves. What we have achieved, both in the last four years and in the just-concluded election, could not have happened without a long list of supporters and partners. First and foremost, let me thank the Almighty God, to whom we owe our very breath, and who has spared our lives to see this day.

“I am also very grateful to all of you, the good people of Lagos. Everyone, not just the people who voted for us, or those registered to vote.

“Lagos is what it is today because of each and every one of you, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender or age.

“We are a vibrant and thriving hub of commerce, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation and culture because of the diversity that has come to define us, over the decades and the centuries. Thank you.

“I want to thank all our supporters, who worked day and night to take our message of competence and accomplishment far and wide.

“Many of you did this not because you knew me personally, but because you identified with the progressive vision that we represent and believe in the message of continuity that we advocated.

“Immense gratitude also goes to the leadership and members, at national, state and local levels, of our great party,  APC, a true force for progressive politics not just in Nigeria but across Africa.

“To the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the man who kicked off this journey to Greater Lagos, I say a very big thank you. You have a lot to be proud of, and I am very pleased that Lagos State will continue to be aligned with the Centre, under your watch as our president.

“To our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, thank you for your commitment to leaving a legacy of fairness and of electoral outcomes that reflect the will of the people. Thank you also for the unprecedented support to Lagos State in the last eight years.

“My dear wife, Ibijoke, thank you for being my loyal partner on this journey, and for holding the fort excellently on the home front.

“My partner and deputy governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, thank you. We have worked as a team for the last four years, fulfilling our promises to the people of Lagos State, and I am delighted we are able to continue this journey as partners for another four years,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu has approved a 20 per cent salary increment for workers in the mainstream civil service in the state and concluded arrangements to ensure the staff start receiving their new salary arrears beginning from this month.

The move is to improve welfare and wellbeing of public servants and boost their morale towards rededicating themselves to a better service delivery in Lagos State.

The approval was confirmed by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, through a circular with Rel. No: CIR/HOS/23/Vol.1/023, yesterday.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lucky Garden Properties and Investment Limited, lshmeal Emeka Udenka, has congratulated Sanwo-Olu over his re-election

Udenka, in his congratulatory message, said Sanwo-Olu’s victory in the March 18 governorship election clearly shown that he is loved and generally accepted by residents of Lagos State.

Sanwo-Olu was, yesterday, declared winner of the March 18 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“It was obvious the governor would return. His strategic leadership skills are unmatched. You can’t take that away from him. Lagos is working thanks to him.

“We are happy for his return. We waited for this moment and it has come to fruition,” he said.