Chinelo Obogo
 
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Lagos East District by-election, Tokunbo Abiru, has said if elected, he would vigorously pursue fiscal federalism along with other legislators.
 
During a meeting with party elders, community leaders  and residents in Ibeju-Lekki, the former Managing Director of Polaris Bank said fiscal federalism is  indispensable to national progress and would empower the states and promote even development.
 
Abiru also said he would work with other federal  lawmakers from Lagos to secure a special status for the state, maintaining that a special status would enable it attract more federal presence.
 
Abiru described Ibeju-Lekki as a hub of business and industrial activities, promising to promote the prosperity of the area and other communitiies.
 
He also promised to make the welfare of the people his priorities through empowerment programmes and other interventions .
 
“As federating units, our states cannot be viable with the current fiscal structure and if elected, I’ll  team up with other lawmakers to ensure fiscal federalism for the country.
 
“There is need for review within the ambit of the existing legal framework to institutionalise fiscal federalism, with a view to encouraging healthy competition among states to promote even development. With the on-going constitutional review, I will exploit this window of opportunity to push for a new fiscal federalism regime.
 
“My total focus will be on the welfare of my constituents in Lagos East and Lagos at large. If and when elected, I’ll use my good office ,my energy and resources to promote the welfare and wellbeing of the people of my constituency,” he said.
 
Abiru said he had ascertained the bad state of Ikorodu -Epe Expressway, promising to work with others to ensure the fixing of the road if elected.
 
He said Lekki-Epe -Eti-Osa Expressroad was strategic to movement of people and consignments,promising to work for the reconstruction of the road if elected .
 
He thanked party members for choosing him as the APC flagbearer for the election ,saying he would not take their support for granted .
 
 
Abiru thanked the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu and other leaders of the party for the confidence reposed in him,said he would guided by the values of the party at the Senate.
He appealed to party members and residents of Lagos East senatorial district to vote en masse for the him and APC on Oct.31.
 
Abiru  said he would bring the same zeal he used to strengthen Polaris Bank as CEO to the senate,adding he would not disappoint the people if elected .
 
 
Thd APC Vice Chairman(Lagos East) Ashipa Kaoli Olusanya , described Abiru as a very competent candidate .
 
He urged the people of the district to come out en masse to the APC and the candidate in the election .
 
Olusanya urged the people of Ibeju-Lekki to at least  deliver 50,000 votes for Abiru to ensure emphatic victory in the area.
 
Also speaking ,a party leader in Ibeju-Lekki,Tunde Ishak ,urged the people of the area to come out on the election day  en masse to vote Abiru.
 
“We should all go out in our large number to vote our candidate, Tokunbo Abiru. We should prove with our voters  cards that Ibeju Lekki is fully for APC and Abiru on that day,” he said.
 
Other party members including Representative Bayo Balogun (Ibeju-Lekki); a former Lagos  lawmaker, Segun Olulade and Abiodun Salami, state APC Assistant Publicity Secretary, spoke in turns to canvass support for Abiru.
 
Prominent party leaders and community leaders at the meeting include Mr. Tola Kasali,a former Commissioner for Special Duties and Musiliu Folami ,a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.