Elections: Tinubu Rejects ‘Otoge Movement’ In Lagos, Says Not Saraki’s Kwara

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has kicked against efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to replicate the “#Otoge” aka “enough is enough” movement in Lagos State.

The Otoge mantra was used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the run up to the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections to rally voters in Kwara State against supporting Dr Bukola Saraki or any candidate endorsed by the Senate President in the state.

Some opponents of Tinubu have been trying to replicate the movement to discourage voters in Lagos against voting any candidate endorsed by the APC National Leader.

But speaking after casting his vote at polling unit 047, ward 3, Ikeja local government area of the state, Tinubu said the movement isn’t applicable in Lagos as the situation in the state differs from what is obtainable in Kwara where Saraki and some of his political “godsons” were ousted.

The APC Leader said rather, “o to pe” meaning “it’s worthy of praise” should be the mantra that Lagosians should be chanting.

“The O to ge slogan is for Ilorin; Lagos is not Kwara state, and there is a limit to copying. Lagos should be O to pe, not O Toge,” Tinubu told reporters in the state.

“We are going to win because we are the only party in Lagos state, others are pretenders; they come and they will go away. Leopard cannot change his skin.

“Lagos belongs to the progressives; we are progressives and we will remain progressives. For Lagos, it has seen tremendous development since I was the governor; before then, the highest internally generated revenue (IGR) was N600 million, per month, now it is over N30 billion.

“No other state has achieved what we have achieved, financial independence, as Lagos state; no other nation, they all depend on allocation from the federal government. Lagos State today will not depend on any allocation before we take care of capital needs; we build roads and bridges everywhere from Oregun to many parts of the state.

“The real estate value of Lagos state has exponentially increased than any other state in the federation. We are the fifth largest economy in Africa; let me see that governor who will do better than that.”

Tinubu ruled out the impression that Lagos is a violence-prone state, saying: “I take exception to what happened in Okota two weeks ago. I am very upset about that incidence placing Lagos as if we are violent-prone.

“We have about 1,325 polling units in Lagos State and only five units were affected in Okota. That should not mean that the election was a failure in the state.

“If we should rate it, the election should be about 97 per cent rate of success if right mentally. An incident in Okota should not be used to generalise the whole election in Lagos State.

“The success rate should have been the story, not the ugly incident that should be the story. For the media, how can five units out of 1,325 units constitute a violent election and were given hype that Lagos is violent; we cannot do justice to that.

“How can we have development to the economy and the medium of information? In terms of security, Lagos has always been ready to celebrate democracy, and violence free. The security officials are doing well and the INEC has started well too with the logistics well managed.

“We will continue to welcome everybody to Lagos State. We cannot stop people from coming to the state. If Lagos is not good enough, they won’t come. If the state is plagued with disease or insecurity or unemployment, people won’t come. Those leaving their states to come to Lagos are welcome, they are not a threat,” said the APC Leader.