- Insist Credit for Oshodi Transformation Goes to Ambode
Nigerians have countered claims by the spokesman of the Tinubu presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo over claims that the All Progressive Congress presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu transformed the transport hub of Lagos, Oshodi to what it is today.
Keyamo had earlier on Sunday posted two photos of the popular metropolitan area, Oshodi and gave the credit to Tinubu asking those who doubt Tinubu’s capacity for development to bring up evidences of such performances by presidential candidates of other parties.
He had demanded for such evidence to be supplied of Adamawa, the home state of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Anambra State, the home state of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi.
While Obi served as Governor of Anambra State, Atiku was only elected Governor of Adamawa but was later nominated as Vice Presidential candidate to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.
One of the photos shown by Keyamo had depicted Oshodi, in its old form with disorderliness, dirt and cacophony. The second photo had shown Oshodi now as a cosmopolitan area with the new modern inter-change which enables public transportation in a more organised manner.
However, while Keyamo gave credit to Tinubu who served as Governor of Lagos between 1999 to 2007, many angry Nigerians have said it was fraudulent to attribute the success of Oshodi to Tinubu. They insisted that former Governor, Akinwumi Ambode gets the credit.
Ambode was the Governor between 2015 to 2019 before he was dropped and stopped from contesting the second term. That intrigues paved the way for incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
A twitter user NEFFERTITI with the handle, @firstladyship, challenged Keyamo over his claims saying that it showed that the achievements of those who came before and after Tinubu were being erased.
She wrote, “Festus Keyamo is shameless. the APC are erasing Lateef Jakande, Buba Marwa, Fashola & Ambode’s legacies, to pls their deity. Now Tinubu developed Oshodi, not the Ambode he sacked for refusing to open the treasury? Suddenly, Tinubu developed Lagos since 1999?”
NPO Reports that the first attempt at changing the face of Oshodi was made by Ambode’s predecessor Babatunde Fashola who is now the Minister of Works. He had demolished many shanties in the area to pave way for modern development before Ambode’s tenure which came up with the ambitious interchange project.
Mr. Okhai, with the handle @head_of_kings, wrote, “This is Oshodi under Tinubu vs. Oshodi under Ambode. Yet, Tinubu built Lagos. Ambode was denied 2nd term because he refused to sustain Tinubu “pocket legacy”. Our mumu go do las las. Vote Tinubu & Atiku at your peril.”
The poster accompanied his post with photos of the modern day Oshodi and that of the old status.
Another commentator, Yunus Abdul with the handle @hospillo, said whatever makes Tinubu to be credited with the achievements of Ambode should make him carry the burdens of whatever happens under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Another poster thanked Keyamo for bringing out the photos which he however said Keyamo should recall never happened under Tinubu.
“Thank God you brought this out. You have just shown Oshofi under Tinubu and Oshodi under Ambode/Sanwo-Olu. You lived in Lagos and KNOW very well that Tinubu dis nothing to change Oshodi. The transformation of Oshodi started with Fashola… and you know it,” said Achilles posting under the handle, @AchilleusChudd.
The comments have continued to elicit more reactions.