In a bid to stem the tide of voter apathy and increase people’s involvement in the political process in the state, the Lagos State government is to launch an extensive voter awareness campaign across wards in the state.
Peter Ajayi, senior special assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu on Political Matters, who disclosed this Monday, during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Ejigbo, noted that the high voter apathy witnessed in the 2019 election was a concern.
Ajayi stated that the essence of the ward awareness campaign was to boost citizens’ participation in the political and policy initiation process.
He added that the awareness campaign would be separately carried out in each of the wards in the state so as to achieve its expected purpose, stressing that the citizens will be educated on voting behaviour and electoral process.
According to him, “The responsibility of voter awareness should not be left alone
to either Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or political parties, government can as well help in this area because people’s participation in policy process is key for a successful policy initiation and implementation.
“There is a nexus between political participation and public policy support by the people and we all know people must be carried along in all these things if we want to achieve the agenda of greater Lagos. Achieving a greater Lagos is non-negotiable. It is a joint task as a people,” Ajayi said.
Speaking on Sanwo-olu’s Eid- Kabir gift to the people, he added that the citizens’ response to it was impressive, saying that he had been receiving commendable messages from the beneficiaries since the commencement of the programme.
“Concerning the distribution of Sanwo-olu’s Eid Kabir gifts to the people, I have been receiving commendable messages from the people. They commended the way we shared the gift items.
The exact amount of money was received by beneficiaries,” he added.
The meeting with the ward leaders, which lasted for 3hours was later ended with a funfair with community members who showered encomium on Governor Sanwo- Olu on his development stride so far.
Part of those who attended the programme were Monsuru Obe, executive chairman of Ejigbo LCDA, Kashunmu, Ejigbo APC chairman, and members of the party’s executive council, and all the ward chairmen including some of their executive members.
