Comrade Banwo Olagokun, an artiste, writer, activist and media consultant, is the Director General (DG) of the African Action Congress (AAC) Campaign in Lagos for the 2023 general elections. He spoke to EJIKEME OMENAZU on his party’s plan for a new Lagos and why his party’s presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore remains the best among all the other candidates. Excerpt:
Could you tell us about your early life?
I studied criminology at the National Open University. I was born in Lagos and have lived most of my life in Lagos. As a son of a public administrator father and trader mom, life was at best modest, but mostly about survival, with dreams of living a better life in a democratic and prosperous country.
How would you describe your antecedent?
I am the immediate-past Organising Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Lagos and also chairman of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE) since 2019. I am currently the Director General (DG) of the African Action Congress (AAC) Campaign in Lagos.
To what extent would you say you are conversant with the AAC?
I am a foundational member of the party. We have been the only party on the ballot that espouses and propagates socialist ideology. We formed a coalition with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and led the unprecedented mass action tagged #RevolutionNow in 21 states and over 50 cities simultaneously, which triggered over six million Nigerians to Google the word ‘Revolution’ and laid exemplary template on mass resistance. It is also on record that as a result of four days illegal detention of 39 of our comrades in Lagos, after October 1, 2020 #RevolutionNow mass action, our presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, declared #EndSARS on October 4, on Twitter. In summary, we are the catalyst for the biggest mass uprising in Africa and the current political consciousness
As the Director General (DG) of the AAC Campaign Organisation, what is the agenda of your principal for Lagosians
Our policies are crystal clear. First, we want to provide real low cost housing of at least 50,000 units which will be affordable by low income families, like the late Pa Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos State, did. Secondly, we will provide intra-city trains and take advantage of our water ways by investing massively in water transportation. Under the African Action Congress (AAC) administration, welfare will be extended to informal workers because they are responsible for the majority of our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which means they will have access to health care, our low cost housing scheme and grants, like civil servants. We will end the All Progressives Congress (APC) extortion through state agents like the Motor Park Management and Caretaker Committee popularly known as Agbero, who have been violent against commercial drivers and are one of the major reasons for high cost of living in Lagos. It is noteworthy that there is a court order against multiple ticketing by Agberos. But, they are brazenly violating the court order because they have the backing of the APC Leader, Tinubu and the state governor, Sanwo-Olu, to do so. Moreover, we will also ban the Iyaoloja of Lagos, Tinubu’s daughter, from extorting traders and market women. It is also important to point out that there is a court order against her to stop doing such. But, the Jagaban cabal reigns supreme over court orders. These two sources of extortion are major causes of high cost of living in Lagos and we will end it in the first week of our emergence, so that Lagosians can have access to cheaper transport, goods and services.
What you are saying is that your party’s administration will be masses-oriented. What other plans does your party have in Lagos?
We also have a lot of plans for Lagosians. For instance, under education, you will notice that no higher institution was built in the 23 years of the All Progressives Congress (APC) misrule in Lagos State. We will build a University of Medical Sciences and colleges in different parts of Lagos to accommodate the Lagos growing population of students.
Also under waste management, the AAC government will invest in modern waste management. Poor waste management has been the hallmark of the APC government in Lagos. Lagos is known to be the dirtiest city in Africa, if not the whole world. We will turn waste to wealth through recycling, rather than the disastrous and outdated waste burning the current incompetent Lagos State government is running. Also, the AAC administration will run a National Renationalisation policy. This will also be replicated at the state level. All the victims of the Otodo Gbame massacre and eviction will be compensated. All victims of demolition in Ilubirin, Tarkwa Bay, Makoko and over 50 mechanic villages will be given housing alternatives. Consequently, LASPOTECH’s massive land allegedly stolen in Ketu by Bola Ahmed Tinubu and turned into his private property where TVC and his henchmen are now resident, will be restored for public use.
Lagos is known for its flooding. What is your party’s plan in this regard?
On flooding, we will make sure drainages are constructed everywhere necessary and nobody will construct indiscriminately without the state’s supervision or without the government constructing roads and drainages in approved new sites.
What makes you believe that Lagosians will believe your party and the AAC instead of the APC, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Asiwaju Tinubu?
Lagosians are not fools and we are tired of Jagabanism and hoodlumocracy. Most electorates want to avenge the #lekkimassacre through their votes and sack the people that organised the massacre against peaceful protesters. Also as a party, we have joined communities to organise protests against the DISCOS’ exorbitant charges. We were in the heart of organising #EndSARS and the only party that continued to fight for the release of detained protesters that got freed and the ones that are still currently in Kirikiri and Ikoyi Prisons. The AAC party is very close to the informal workers and has several alliances with different organisations. So, they are fully aware of the poor people’s party because our solidarity with them has been consistent and unshaken.
Don’t you think that Lagosians will still prefer the status quo, which is APC, to remaining or going for the PDP instead of the AAC?
No, not at all. There is no right thinking electorate that will vote for the failed and terrible Siamese twins, APC and PDP.
Would you say that the AAC, with Comrade Omoyele Sowore as its presidential candidate, has what it will take to rule the country?
It takes character, ideas and courage to implement to lead Nigeria. For crying out loud, Sowore is the only candidate on the ballot that organised and fought against the most brutal dictator in Nigeria till he died. He is the only candidate that has exposed all the major scams like subsidy scam, Dasuki Gate, Atiku Gate, Ekiti Gate, corrupt governors, Tinubu’s alleged drug dealing past, Army Generals, Attorney Generals, Obasanjo, during his third term bid. Ministers have all felt the revolutionary wrath of his media platform and some were even jailed for it, including the recent Doyin Okupe conviction. So, which godfather will Sowore be afraid of or consult before taking decisions? Unlike other candidates who visit, worship and crave for endorsements from alleged killers and other failed, corrupt and despicable leaders that got us here. Sowore is the first and only candidate proposing free education and healthcare at all levels and he has proven with facts and figures that Nigerian government can afford it. He is the only one with clear-cut and pragmatic solution to solving insecurity issues in Nigeria. His political experiences include being an Organising Secretary of one of the most radical parties in the 90s – Democratic Alliance (DA). Also, he was the president of Congress of Progressive Youths in the 90s. He is the only candidate that was a lecturer in two universities for a decade in the U.S, which tells how smart he is. The African Action Congress (AAC) is the only party that promised to initiate the process and Constitutional Amendment for Resource Control based on Restructuring whereby host communities of our natural resources will own and take major share of the proceeds from their resources while they just pay tax to the Federal Government.
You have been an activist over the years. Would you say that what we have now as a Mega City is the Lagos of your dream?
Apparently not! Under APC administration, Lagos has remained a mega village with mostly ghettos, bad roads, and rickety wooden bridges. There is no real affordable low cost housing. We have bottleneck road congestion, violent state backed extortionists like Agberos, indiscriminate and non-supervised construction that leads to collapse, inadequate schools at all levels, ridden with child cultism and unemployment. In Lagos, there is also police brutality, state tax collector brutality on market women and traders, violent land grabbing and political ethnicism, all on the order of the ruler of Lagos and his shit packers in Alausa secretariat. #WeCantContinueLikeThis.
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