By Kemisola Oye
A human rights organisation, Human Rights Advancement Development and Advocacy Centre (HURIDAC), yesterday, urged candidates contesting Lagos State House of Assembly seats across the five local governments to place a premium on anti-corruption if they are eventually elected in the 11th March 2023 election.
HURIDAC interfaced with the House of Assembly candidates from three major political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) in Alimosho State Constituency I and II, Ajeromi Ifelodun State Constituency I and II, Kosofe State Constituency I and II, Mushin State Constituency I and II and Ikorodu State Constituency I and II, community stakeholders, constituents from the constituencies, civil society organisations and the media during a town hall meeting.
The Executive Director of HURIDAC, Mr. Ayodele Ameen, who spoke through the Programme Officer, Miss Alice Babalola, while welcoming all the participants to the town hall meeting, acknowledged the sponsorship support of CISLAC and MacArthur Foundation without whom the event would not have been possible and wished the participants a fruitful deliberation.
In his opening remark, the Chairman of the occasion, Comrade Lanre Suraj of CISNAC, who was represented by Comrade Nelson Ekujumi appreciated HURIDAC for the innovative and laudable action plan against corruption, which the town hall meeting represented and for providing a window through which the electorate could hold their representatives to account for their anti-corruption footprints. He thanked the organisers and sponsors and wished the gathering a fruitful deliberation.
The candidates present include Femi Saheed the incumbent member of the Lagos State House Assembly representing Kosofe State Constituency II under the platform of APC, Owoaje Babasola aspiring under the PDP for Kosofe State Constituency 1, Kafilat Olapeju Fasasi contesting for Kosofe State Constituency I under the platform of LP and Hassan Fatai Olaniyi, aspiring for Mushin State Constituency I under the platform of the PDP, among others.
The candidates highlighted transparency and accountability as the watchword in their anti-corruption plans if elected. They all promised to make public the financial status of their constituencies as representatives of the people if elected so that they can be held accountable.
They also promised to abide by their anti-corruption plans with which they should be held to account if eventually elected by the electorate.
Meanwhile, HURIDAC promised to interface with the constituents and the candidates so that the anti-corruption plans of the candidates and their party can be used as a benchmark to measure how committed they have lived up to their promise when eventually elected.