A House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Olubankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, has expressed his happiness about how the new Electoral Act 2022, would make rigging elections difficult.
OsunDaily News gathered that the singer and actor, who is vying for a seat in Eti-Osa Federal Constituency said the 2022 Electoral Act would serve as a game changer in the 2023 elections.
According to Banky W at his campaign flag-off and Mega Fitness Walk at Lekki Phase one, people now have assurance and confidence that their votes would count, adding that gaining the people’s trust is very important in winning as elections will be won or lost at polling units.
The singer who noted that he was very optimistic about winning the election, said for once, the Electoral Act has become a game changer because the manner in the election used to be rigged will really not be effective anymore.
He continued saying now people have that assurance and confidence that votes actually do count, adding that once you have your people behind you, then you stand a better chance because this election will be won and lost at each specific polling unit.
“That is why our focus is on engaging the communities, letting them know where we stand, and working with them to get the seat at the end of the day. I think we have a great chance of winning this constituency because the people are excited about my candidacy. I ran in 2019 on an independent party platform and for me, 2019 was about planting the seed but 2023 is about winning the seat and we will win the seat with the support of our people,” he stated.
According to him, his team has a robust legislative agenda that has been fine-tuned over the past few years, and the focus on areas like education is very key and that they will try to bring technology into all the various wards in Eti-Osa to give young people a chance to have the kind of skill set that makes them relevant and able to become either entrepreneurs or employees in this century.
He said “there are things we want to focus on with healthcare. For instance, it will shock people that we don’t have a general hospital with all the internally generated revenue from this constituency. So, if somebody falls sick in Sangotedo, the person will have to go all the way down to Lagos Island before he or she gets healthcare.
So, we will be fighting for things like healthcare, education and gender equity. “I’m excited about the plans that we have for the people because they are very good.”
The apex leader of the Banky W campaign council, Adeniyi Adams, who noted that his candidate is saleable, popular and intelligent, said chances are incredibly high because things are changing and with the new electoral law, it is going to be extremely difficult to rig the people out, and so they know that their votes will count and they are all out to support him.
Adams said Banky W has empathy for the people and he has been showing love to people of this constituency for more than a decade and not because he wants to come out for the election.
So it’s easy for one to understand why the people are actually yearning for him because it is no longer about him but about the change people want, he said.
The Director General Admin and Finance for BankyW House of Reps campaign organisation, Tolani Animashaun, also said given the current situation of the country, candidates under the PDP have a chance of winning across board.
Speaking about the crisis at the party, she said. “PDP’s house is in order. Forget about what the media writes because they want to have some sensation. What is put out is different from what is happening inside.
The ones that you don’t hear about are those that you should be scared of, so, you need to go and find out why you don’t hear about them. We don’t have issues in our party.”
This article was originally published on OsunDaily News
