Governorship of Lagos can’t be a test run activity, says Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, says the economy of the state cannot be managed by someone who lacks the requisite experience in governance and leadership.

On March 18, Sanwo-Olu will contest with Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), and Abdul-Azeez Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governorship position.

Speaking in an interview with Nigeria Info FM on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu said the economy of the state is crucial to the nation.

The governor said he is the most qualified of all the candidates, adding that he has both private and public experience to move the state forward.

“What have you done in your own life, what is the pedigree, and what experience you are bringing to the table?  What level of knowledge do you have that this job entails? What are your previous roles?” he asked.

“A governor of the sixth largest economy can certainly not be a test run activity. You’re driving the largest black city in the world, it cannot be a test run. It is not driven by emotion. It is certainly will be driven by the people, who choose to have the capacity.

“The youngest candidate that is also competing in this race is a 40-year-old Lagosian and a Nigerian. So, I said let us discount our age to age 40 and let us see what has everybody done at age 40. I’m 57, so I’m going to tell you what I have done at age 40.

“At age 40, I left the banking industry as a general manager, heading investment banking. I had been in that sector for 15 years prior to then. I have had to develop competence and experience in very strong structured investment banking.

“I have been treasurer in three banks. I moved into the public sector and by 40, I had done about four years in the public sector. I had become a commissioner of economic planning. I had been an adviser to a sitting governor at that time.”

Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, lost Lagos state to Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) in the presidential election.

Tinubu, the political mentor of Sanwo-Olu, is a former governor of the state, serving from 1999 to 2007.