Lagos Guber: Falz Slams Governor Sanwo Olu, Says Not Elected, But Selected; Governor Regrets Violence

By Akinwale Kasali

Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, and a son of Legal Luminary and Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana has slammed Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu who was re-elected as the Governor of Lagos State.

The popular Musician and Actor said that the Governor was selected and not elected.

Falz responded to the Governor’s tweet thanking Lagosians for voting for him. He tweeted: “Thank you Lagosians! I am deeply humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support and trust of the good people of Lagos State. I am honored to be re-elected as your Governor and pledge to continue to work tirelessly to deliver a better Lagos for all. Thank you for believing in me.

“These elections have deeply tested us as a people. This victory is not just mine, but it belongs to every Lagosian.

“I have worked hard to live up to this responsibility of governing the most important subnational economy in Africa. We certainly could not have done this by ourselves. Thank you to the Almighty God and all of Lagos. Immense gratitude goes to our great party, APC, and our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“During the course of the campaign, we sadly saw a lot of divisive rhetoric used. Elections should be about capacity, competence, and experience, not ethnicity or religion. I salute those who refused to be divided by hateful and hurtful ethnic profiling.”

Falz in response to the Governor’s Thank You message wrote:  “You were not re-elected. You selected yourself. Everybody saw it unfold. You are only deceiving yourselves.”

This led to brickbats on Twitter as a Tweep asked Falz if he was pained by Governor Sanwo Olu’s victory.

He replied and said, “Yes it is  (pain) actually. The pain of knowing that brothers and sisters are being turned against each other in a bid to ‘win’ an election.

“Also the pain of seeing our democratic process rubbished before our very eyes.”

Governor Sanwo also cleared the air as regards the violence that took place in some parts of the State during Saturday’s election saying, He said: “Recent skirmishes in some LGAs resulting in injuries are reprehensible and not reflective of who we are. Law enforcement and security agencies have been directed to ensure that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.

“Very importantly, and this cannot be overemphasised, what unites us as Lagosians is far more important and substantial than whatever differences exist among us.

“As your Governor, I will do everything in my power to ensure that genuine healing takes place. We will continue to run an inclusive government, that delivers for all the people of Lagos, wherever in the State they may be living.”