Ahead of the upcoming governorship primary election in Lagos State, the challenger of incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the All Progressives Congress ticket, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the governor has descended into low conduct by attacking his person. 

Reacting to Ambode’s world press conference on Sunday in which the governor claimed that he was once arrested for spending fake American dollars at a night club and that he went through rehabilitation in a Lagos hospital, Sanwo-Olu said he had forgiven Ambode and hoped the governor regained his balance and proper comportment no matter the outcome of the contest.

Said Sanwo-Olu :“We are both here to improve Lagos, not to wrestle in its streets. However, I must clear up some inaccuracies in the governor’s statement. His allegation that I was arrested for spending fake dollars at a nightclub in the United States was untrue.

“In fact, the governor knows I travelled to the United States just last month. I would not have been allowed to travel or even get a visa if I had been involved in what the governor falsely alleged.

“That the governor claimed I underwent some unidentified type of ‘rehabilitation’ at the Gbagada General Hospital was also shameless and untrue. Promulgation of salacious rumour should not be part of the job description of a governor. This is not the stuff of high office.

“People should question whether it is ethically right for the governor to turn what should be confidential medical information about a citizen into a weapon of political warfare? But, for avoidance of doubt, let it be stated that I never received any treatment whatsoever at the Gbagada General Hospital,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He further berated Ambode for opting to sow fear into the hearts of Lagosians instead of making a convincing defence of his performance as governor, noting that Lagosians were intelligent and brave people to see through the smoke and the fog.

He added: “I am here not to tear my opponent down, but to help build Lagos up. With me, you will hear about progress on education, health, sanitation, proper tax levels, economic development, infrastructure, jobs, public services and other things that enhance the lives of people.

“I am a serious person and this primary election is a serious matter. I have not the time or inclination to attack character when there are so many real issues to address. We will continue to focus on the issues that matter in the lives of the people of Lagos.

“Lagosians want an answer to the sanitation crisis that cost loss of jobs caused by Mr. Ambode’s VisionScape misadventure. Our people will want to know why Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has not been able to build a single general hospital in the state when his immediate predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) built 11 General Hospitals.

“Lagosians are waiting to hear what our solutions are. They want to know why hundreds of competent civil servants got summarily dismissed and how this has undermined public service. As a candidate for the party’s nomination and hopefully as your next governor, my approach will not be to sling insults, but to propose solutions to the problems of the day.”