Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday solicited the support of the Federal Government for the state as the Sanwo-Olu administration tackles the challenges of rebuilding critical infrastructure destroyed by arsonists during the recent #EndSARS protests.
The party also renewed its call for a state police that will forestall the reoccurrence of violence and assaults on public utilities.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo titled:’Lagos deserves emphatic,’ the chapter flayed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for raising an eyebrow over Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s claim that N1Trilion would be required to fix the state in post-protest period.
He said:” We wish to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to come to the aid of Lagos state at a trying time like this to successfully re-build and restore our dear state in a record time.
“We also want to join our voice to the call by other well-meaning Nigerians on the need for state police to forestall such incidents in future.
“We wish to urge all Lagosians to rally round our government, embrace unconditional peace and commence the process of far reaching healing.”
Oladejo took exception to what he described as “ the uninformed and blind challenge of the opposition PDP in Lagos State of the estimated #1tr to restore the massive destruction of public properties, utilities and investments unleashed on Lagos State during the recent mayhem.”
He cautioned against playing idle politics
with an incident that has thrown the entire state into mourning as a result of avoidable loss of lives and properties.
He said Lagos APC commiserated with the government and people of Lagos over the incident.
Oladejo said while not preempting the findings of the commission of enquiry already set up, the chapter condemned all acts of omission or commission that may have contributed to national tragedy.
The statement added: ”We acknowledge the characteristic swift and decisive response of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu who continues to stand firm in the face of tremendous pressure to uphold his oath of office to protect the lives and property of all Lagosians.
“The visits to the injured victims in various hospitals and the state wide tour to pacify the citizenry and access the extent of damage were, without any doubt, moves in the right direction.
“The statewide tour enabled the state government to have an inventory of the monumental destruction which set our state back by decades.
“The long list of destroyed public and private property in Lagos state , to list a few, include Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government secretariat; Palace of the Oba of Lagos; Lagos High Court, Igbosere; Oyingbo BRT terminus; Ojodu Berger BRT terminus; Vehicle Inspection Office, Ojodu Berger; Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Ojodu Berger; Lagos City Hall and Circle Mall, Lekki; numerous luxury shops in Surulere, The Nation Newspaper, TVC and Shoprite Lekki.
“The transport sector lost 27 of the BRT vehicles that cost $200,000 each, while 57 of them cost $100,000 each, all totalling about N3.9 billion.
“According to the police, the 25 stations burnt in Lagos were Orile, Amukoko, Layeni, Ilasamaja, Ikotun, Ajah, Igando, Elemoro, Makinde, Onipanu, Ebute Ero, Pen-Cinema, Isokoko, Alade, Cele, Igbo Elerin, Shibiri, Gbagada, Onilekere, Makoko, Daleko, Asahun, Makinyo, Amuwo-Odofin, Anti-Kidnapping, Surulere. Other police stations that were vandalised but not burnt were Ojo, Ojodu, Mowo, PPL and Morogbo.”
