Lagos agency goes partisan, orders workers to vote for APC

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), on Tuesday asked Headteachers of public primary schools in the state to vote for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

NAN reports that Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, the Executive Chairman, Lagos SUBEB, spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Board, Headteachers, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Association of Public Schools Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON).

The meeting was also attended by Mr Tokunbo Wahab, Director of Education, Independent Campaign Group Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (ICGBOS), at the SUBEB Complex, Maryland, Lagos.

Sopeyin said the essence of the meeting was to sensitise teachers on the use of index fingers to vote on the ballot paper during the elections.

“We called this meeting to identify ourselves with our dear party, APC in Lagos and Nigeria in general.

“This meeting is to officially identify ourself with the candidate of the party for gubernatorial election on March 9, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“You are the leader of your various schools, meet with all parents, teachers, food vendors and non-teaching staff on the need to vote with their index finger and not the thumb.

“By the grace of God, Lagos State has always been adjudged the best SUBEB in Nigeria with the help of all of you,” he said.

The SUBEB Chairman said Sanwo-Olu was formerly the Commissioner for Establishment and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and was part of so many developmental projects of the state.

“I want to assure all of you that all that we have been praising Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for, the incoming governor will improve on it.

“Sanwo-Olu has said it that minimum wage is the in-thing in Lagos. He is likely to look beyond the N30,000 we are asking for in Lagos,” he said.

He urged the headteachers to go back to their various schools to canvas and sensitise other members to the need to vote for APC.

He urged them to put aside any form of rancour or misunderstanding now and support the party and the state government.

“What we need to do now, it is very important to know that we use our index finger to vote.

“In the past, it was thumb printing but we discovered that the thumb usually spread beyond and makes the ballot paper invalid.

“We want you to go back to your schools and encourage others to vote, your neighbours, family, friends and teaching staff. Only talk cannot do it, you must sensitise them.

“We have just 48 hours to do that, you have the responsibllity to ensure that everybody around you is encouraged to vote. We have this two days to do that, go out and encourage people to vote,” he said.