Following the backlashes it has received from the residents and on the social media over its earlier decision to shut down 18 major roads including Western Avenue, to receive President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, the Lagos State government has reversed itself, saying roads will not be closed to traffic as earlier announced.
President Buhari, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 16, 2019 presidential election, together with members of his campaign organisation, are due in Lagos tomorrow (Saturday) for a mega rally, and to solicit votes from the electorate.
Buhari, who was sworn in as president on May 29, 2015, is seeking a second term in office. But he faces a formidable opponent in the person of Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a fellow Fulani and one time political ally of Buhari.
There have been fears in Lagos since Wednesday when Demola Siriki, a member of the APC and chairman, transportation sub-committee of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation rally in Lagos, announced that 18 major roads, especially in Surulere, would be shut to traffic in order to allow Buhari, his entourage and members of the ruling party, unhindered movement to Teslim Balogun Stadium, venue of the political rally.
Aside from the road closure, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had also barred petroleum tankers, trailers and other articulated trucks from entering Lagos, beginning from Friday, February 8 to Saturday, February 9, 2019.
Residents had taken to the social media to condemn the decision to close major roads in the metropolis, and practically shut down Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre.
But speaking at an emergency news conference at Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday, Ladi Lawanson, Lagos State commissioner for transportation, said there would no longer be road closure.
Lawanson, who is also a member of the APC transport sub-committee, said “Lagosians have been apprehensive that there would be traffic gridlock and we got a lot of feedbacks that we intend to grind Lagos to a halt. They think movement would be restricted and they are bracing themselves for what they anticipate would be the hardship that would be visited on them by the president’s visit and our own activities.
The purpose of this press conference is to clarify that: So, there will not be any road closures in Lagos tomorrow (Saturday) and Lagosians are free to go about their normal businesses,” he said.
JOSHUA BASSEY
