The Boot Party (BP) candidate in Lagos State, Wale Oluwo has stepped down for his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, ahead of the March 11 governorship election.
Oluwo made the announcement on Tuesday at the Lekki residence of Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, where the alliance took place.
He expressed confidence that Rhodes-Vivour can execute his agenda and policies to better the lives of Lagosians, adding that the BP and LP will dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC) guber candidate, governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos.
Adebanjo also expressed delight at the development, and urged Nigerians to reject the status quo and align with the Labour Party both at the State and the national level.
Oluwo, a long-term ally of ex-governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) after he protested exclusion from the Party’s governorship primary on May 26, 2022.
The former Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources during the Ambode administration later joined the Boot Party and emerged the governorship candidate in Lagos.
Gbadebo speaking at the gathering said the state assemblies of both parties will be harmonized consequent upon the alliance.
According to Nigerian Tribune, the LP candidate, who said Lagos pays 10 percent of its Internally Generated Revenue to Alpha Beta Consulting amounting to approximately N5 billion monthly, noted that such money would be redirected towards N200 billion Empowerment Scheme upon winning the 2023 elections.
He explained this would free up N60 billion per annum, translating to N240 billion in four years.
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On his part, Rhodes-Vivour explained the N200 billion empowerment scheme will be activated by the Labour Party government from the N240 billion realizable.
According to him, Lagosians are requested to group themselves into teams of five persons to qualify, noting that this amount will lift a million Lagosians and their dependents out of poverty.
The now former BP candidate, Oluwo, said the capital market will be approached to make the full N200 billion available within six months of being sworn in.
He stated that the money will be fully disbursed to beneficiaries within the first year of the Labour Party administration.
According to him, the money will be given as interest free loans and each beneficiary will make a daily repayment for over three years to fully pay back the loan.
The former commissioner noted the money will be applied to support the businesses of entrepreneurs, traders, artisans, women, youth, physically challenged etc.
Information Nigeria reports that Adebanjo had been rooting for Peter Obi of the LP to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that it is justice, equity and inclusiveness for a southeasterner to be Nigeria’s next president.
He described it as important for the survival of Nigeria as a country after the polls.
At the alliance ceremony was Akerele Bucknor, the former deputy governor of Lagos State when Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC, was the governor of the State.
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