30th March, 2011
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday reiterated his call on all Nigerians to come out en masse and cast their votes during the forthcoming elections as a critical process towards ensuring free and fair elections.
Governor Fashola who spoke at a Pre-election prayer session and lecture organised by the Fatima Charity Foundation at the Muson Centre, Onikan added that whenever Nigerians show apathy during an election, they end up leaving room for vote manipulation.
He said if Nigerians truly want free and fair elections, this is the momentous occasion and what represents the easiest way is to go out en masse and cast votes.
He stressed that elections create the foundation for the management of resources of a nation just as free and fair elections are important because no nation can survive on its own without interaction.
The governor said it is very ironic that in small institutions , clubs, Christian and Muslim movements and foundations, people have taken the issue of elections very seriously while that which concerns the nation has been treated with levity.
He said the final contribution for elections does not start and end with regulatory authorities such as the doing of the needful and provision of a peaceful atmosphere but also lies with the people.
The Governor said the daily interaction taking place in the global community centres on continuous communication which has brought about balance of payment, trade agreements, trade relations and tax relief.
He explained that it has become the minimum standard that nations must democratize and states that fail to do so are termed as political risk states that may later develop into economic risk.
Governor Fashola said Ghana as a nation has not done anything spectacular but only organised an acceptable election which has made it a reference point for decisions on the West African sub-region.
He said while the conduct of a free and acceptable election open doors and allows citizens of such countries to be treated with respect, failure to do that makes a country very unattractive for trade and business.
Governor Fashola who said there are many unexamined advantages of free and fair elections said it also comes with economic growth and investment that will create jobs.
He added that if the elections are not free and fair, half of the time that should be spent in providing services to the people will be used in prosecuting cases in courts of law or defending cases.
The Governor who prayed for free and fair elections in Nigeria said if the country can meet the minimum international standard, things will never be the same again.
He commended the Fatima Charity Foundation for organizing the first of its kind Pre-election prayer saying the group is made up of women who pursue virtuous ideals.In a lecture, titled “The Concept of Good Governance in Islamâ€, the National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Imam Abdur-Rahman Ahmed said Nigerians need to be prayerful as the elections approach.
He commended Governor Fashola for displaying high level of transparency in the governance of Lagos and cited the case of the rested Coroners law as a major test of how responsive and transparent a government could be.
In her address of welcome, the President of the Fatima Charity Foundation, Hajia Bintu-Fatima Tinubu urged all to come out and vote during the elections and also tasked all stakeholders, political office holders and the general public to join hands together to fight corruption and also shun violence during the elections and beyond.
She also requested for daily prayers for the state and its present administration for the wisdom of Almighty Allah to endow it with the right attitude that will produce the right result.
Hajia Tinubu said since the advent of the 4th Republic in 1999, it has been relatively difficult to have peaceful, free and credible election, stressing that the 2003 election was worrisome, while the 2007 poll was challenging and expressed hope that the 2011 election will be a huge success.
Retired Justice Ibrahim Olorunnimbe Ishola who chaired the event commended the Fatima Charity Foundation for organising the programme and emphasized the power of prayers.
Justice Ishola buttressed his points with many names in both the Holy Bible and their problems.
The event was attended by many dignitaries like the First Lady, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, former First Lady and Senatorial candidate of ACN in Lagos Central, Chief Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, members of the State Executive Council, wife of the Oba of Ikorodu, Olori Muyibat Oguntade, Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Abou Zeid, clerics, Muslims from various organizations and candidates contesting for various elective posts in the 2011 polls.