By TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, Lagos

Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the year 2023 will be the end of the political dynasty in Lagos that has been holding the citizens hostage since the return of democratic rule in 1999.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with INDEPENDENT, George who is the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland said the ‘O to Ge’ Movement that ended the Saraki political dynasty in Kwara state will happen in Lagos in 2023.

He particularly singled out Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whom he accused of being a stranger but has appropriated all the resources of the state for his use.

“By 2023, I will be getting closer to 80. We will invoke the spirit of our forefathers. O to ge! We will do whatever is humanly possible to get those things back to the people.

“He (Tinubu) will not sit down in his room and be dictating who will be Speaker, Governor, senators and all that. We will invoke the spirit of the founding fathers, the original people of Lagos against all these greedy people”.

George who lamented the suffering of Lagosians, especially civil servants in the state also condemned the outrageous retirement benefits of governors in the state beginning from Tinubu, saying civil servants who served the state government meritoriously for 35 years don’t receive one per cent of what the governors get as retirement benefits.

“After appropriating all the resources of Lagos to themselves, when they retire, go and see their retirement benefits. Even civil servants who retire after 35 years don’t get one per cent of what they receive as retirement benefits.

“Two big houses in posh areas in Lagos, two big houses in posh areas in Abuja, apart from the number of cars they will be buying and changing for them every year. Common!

“If the late Brig.Gen. Mobolaji Johnson had done that if Papa Lateef Jakande did that and all the other governors had done that, what will be left. What is political management in this democratic dispensation? It is the complete management of the resources of that land for the benefit of the people, not for himself or his family. Enough is enough! O To Ge”.

“Lagos is like New York, a melting pot and the culture of Lagos people because it is a trading port, we respect people and don’t discriminate. Anybody who brings his wares to Lagos to sell will make the money and we are happy.

“Even if you want to land, we give you land to build your house and give you a sense of belonging; but then there must be that modicum of respect for our culture.

“Presently, the governor of Lagos, his deputy, the three senators, the Speaker, all the principal officers, Head of Service, the SSG is not Lagosians. It doesn’t happen in any state of this country except Lagos. It is not fair. We’ve had governors in the past who are not Lagosians but they will pay homage to the owners of the land,” he said. (Daily Independent)

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