The National President of the Campaign for Dignity in Governance, CDG, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, has explained the rationale behind the formation of a support group, Sanwo-Olu Solidarity Vanguard, SSV, for the Lagos State governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Olokoba, speaking at a press conference in Lagos to announce the suspentlsion of his group’s planned Seven-day Walk for Peace, in support of the Lagos Governor, Sanwo-Olu, said that there was the need to support a working governor, who has taken governance to the next level in the Centre of Excellence.
He added that the cancellation of the planned Walk for Peace was to give the governor moral and psychological support for him to do more good work for the state.
Olokoba averred that activism is not only to criticize the government, but to also contribute to the enhancement of good governance for the citizenry through encouragement and support, expressing the need for encouragement for a performing governor like Sanwo-Olu.
The renowned public commentator added however that activists should not misconstrue support for government for undue syncophancy, saying that constructive criticism, which is to make things better is allowed, but destructive criticism is abhorred.
On the cancellation of the Walk for Peace, Olokoba, at the press conference, attended by almost 70 other rights organizations and pro-democracy groups under the auspicies of the CDG, said that it was in line with the governor’s decision for the cancellation of his planned Walk for Peace, which he said was the best for the generality of the citizenry and the right step in the right direction.
The youth leader said that it would have looked odd and unreasonable to continue with the exercise, with the awareness of the advent of a new COVID-19 variant, which has been scientifically proven to be deadlier than the previous ones, asserting that the cancellation of the exercise by the governor has shown that he is aware that it would be socially and politically wrong to create another problem while trying to solve an earlier problem.
The cancellation, Olokoba continued, has confirmed that the governor is on top of his game, concluding that going ahead with the exercise under that situation would have portrayed him as an insensitive administrator.
Present at the press conference, alongside members of their various groups were: Comrade Olokoba of the CDG, Comrade Soyoye Ekundayo, Progressive Volunteers, PV; Prince Dare Aladekoba Royal Peoples Platform, RPP; Adekunle Akinde, Youth Advocacy Initiative, YAI; Ekundayo Ibrahim, Egbe Omoluabi Eko; Eyitope Success-Adekunle, Women for Change Initiative, and CDG Co-Convener, Titi Akosa.
Others included, but not limited to: James Adeyemi, Black Youth Vanguard, BYV, Adewale Oladipupo, Epe Youth Forum, EYF; Omolola Olukayode, Nigeria Peace Advocacy Group, NPAG; Adeosun Adekunle, Egbe Omo Yoruba Ronu; Omobanke Razak, Labour and Workers Welfare Advocacy Centre, LWWAC, and Adebayo Oyenekan of the Congress of Progressive Youth.
