Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Otunba Adesunbo Onitiri has declared his intention to contest the Lagos Central Senatorial seat again in the 2023 elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Onitiri announced his intention in Lagos on Monday, promising that if elected, one of his priorities would be to lobby other National Assembly legislators to get special status for Lagos, being the economic capital of Nigeria.
He stated that “the special status should be supported with incidental infrastructural development to make it world- class standard.”
He added that he will ensure that the people of Lagos state enjoy free medical services and free education from primary school to university level because the state is buoyant enough to foot the bills.
Onitiri, who listed a ten- point agenda which includes working with others to ensure that local governments, the state judiciary and state assemblies get full autonomy from the executives, pushing for legislation to eradicate toll gates along Lagos-Epe axis and legislation on election financing so that citizens don’t need to be billionaires before contesting election.
Others are ensuring legislation that would provide universal basic health care in Lagos and Nigeria as well as providing universal basic education in Lagos.
Onitiri stressed that to expand the Lagos state financial base, there is the need to develop water ways and blue sea economy,” he added.
Otunba Onitiri is a senior Fellow of NIEVS, FNIVS, member of FIABCI, Rating Valuation Associate of Britain, played significant roles in the struggle for the present democratic emancipation in Nigeria, especially the June 12 struggles, having obtained the historic landmark judgement of June 12 that enabled the election to hold.
He also prides himself for initiating and organising the Epetedo Declaration of Late MKO Abiola as president in 1994.