The Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) on Tuesday visited Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to commiserate with him and the people of Lagos State over the EndSARS protest mayhem.
Speaking with journalists during the visit at the Lagos House, Marina, the Chairman of the forum, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, commended Sanwo-Olu for demonstrating leadership during the EndSARS protest.
“He has remained committed till date. The panel (Judicial Panel of Enquiry) he set up is making progress and they are independent. The truth is coming out gradually; it is evolving.
“So we encourage him. We appreciate the people of Lagos and we are glad that when we came in today, we saw economic activities, the resilience of Lagosians skipping in. That is quite commendable.
“We believe that Lagos will get back its groove and mobilise the nation,´´ said Bagudu, who is also the Governor of Kebbi State.
The PGF chairman said that the protest had made all to understand that young persons have the right to express their feelings.
He said that the government had listened to the youths and aligning with them.
“You are not alone; we support them. We want to give them the support of a united strong country, so that they can go into the world with pride.
“But they have seen how nobility of any course can be taken over by those who otherwise have agenda that are contrary to what they thought they are out to achieve,´´ Bagudu said.
He said that the APC governors were committed to good governance and making life comfortable for the youths in Nigeria.
“We want our young men and women to have fulfilling jobs and opportunities both locally and internationally. But this will take time with continuous engagement and dialogue,´´ the Progressive Governors Forum chairman said.
He said that the PGF delegation decided to visit Sanwo-Olu to encourage him and his team and to further show solidarity with the people of Lagos State.
According to him, there is a lesson in what has happened and whatever needs to done should be done more quickly.
He said that in the last six years, Nigeria had one of the most devastating slow down in economic activities due to a combination of commodity prices collapse, which was further aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic.
“But yet Nigerians response has led to a drop in the GDP by less than seven per cent, which is one of the best in Africa and indeed in the world.
“There are countries where slowdown in the economic activity has been close to 40 per cent per quarter with unemployment,´´ Bagudu said.
The Progressives Governors Forum delegation to Lagos State comprised of Bagudu; Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee and Yobe Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum and Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong and Jigawa Governor, Muhammed Badaru. (NAN)