‘Victory is yours’ — oba of Lagos endorses Buhari

Riliwanu Akiolu, oba of Lagos, says President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of his words and will be victorious in the forthcoming presidential election.

Akiolu spoke when Buhari and his campaign team visited his palace in Lagos Island on Saturday after arriving the state in continuation of the presidential rallies ahead of the February 16 election.

The traditional leader, who noted that the body of traditional rulers in the state were happy to receive the team, said that they appreciated Buhari’s efforts as a highly respected person in Nigeria.

He assured Buhari that there would be a repeat of his 2015 electoral victory in the coming election.

“Give Buhari another chance and you will see how Nigeria will move forward,” Akiolu said.

The monarch decried the rot that past administrations left behind in the country.

“We should not go back to the past again. Now that you are here, Isha Allau, on February 16, God will open the way for you. The best will happen to you,” he said.

Akiolu, chairman, Lagos traditional council of obas and chiefs, thanked the president for his achievements since assuming office and urged Nigerians to continue to support him.

He said that a catalogue of requests, including mass transit and pressing issues on the Apapa ports, and they had all been committed into writing.

Akiolu presented Buhari with a Quran as he prayed for him.

In his response, Buhari commended Akiolu appreciating the efforts of his government.

“I appreciate all you have said and I assure you that I will continue to do my best. The promise we made through our party in 2015, our country needs to be secured and properly managed,” he said.

“If there is no security, we cannot do anything no matter your resources. We thank God our efforts have brought some fruits.”

He said his government was working hard to end importation of rice and ensure self-dependence.

“We can feed ourselves and the money we save, we can put it in infrastructure; we are building the roads, we are building the rails and we are building power,” he said.

“But the failure of former administrations in spite of enormous revenue they got to develop infrastructure is amazing.”

He commended Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and hosuing, on his “hard work and efficiency” for keeping contractors on their toes, saying that he has done creditably well.