500 LASTMA To Maintain Traffic As Buhari’s Campaign Train Storms Lagos

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election Friday, January 30th, 2015

The Lagos State Government has deployed 500 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to maintain traffic on Lagos roads as the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammed Buhari stormed Lagos on Friday (today) for a mega rally at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

Traffic is expected to be paralysed in the Lagos metropolis during the rally, but the state government is making frantic effort to mitigate the traffic situation with the deployment of 500 LASTMA officials to the area to direct traffic.

Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa said the mega rally is expected to attract huge human and vehicular traffic around Lagos, especially along Funsho Williams, Eko Bridge, Ikorodu Road, entire Surulere and the Teslim Balogun Stadium Area.

“In this regard, the Lagos State Government will deploy all possible traffic management measures, including 500 LASTMA personnel for this particular event to ensure minimum disruption to motorists and party members coming for the rally. The early morning traffic will not be affected likewise the afternoon traffic.

“Priority will be given to pedestrians and mass transit vehicles conveying people to the rally. Vehicular traffic (non-rally related) would be diverted from Funsho Williams at Ojuelegba towards Itire to link Ogunlana Drive to connect Eko Bridge via Bode Thomas, Eric Moore and Adelabu as at when necessary.

“From Eko Bridge, traffic would be diverted to Ojuelegba, Agege Motor Road and Ikorodu Road via Costain, Eric Moore, Bode Thomas, Adelabu and Ogunlana Drive, Itire Road, Mabo, Fashoro and Bishop Street all in Surulere or better still motorists are advised to use the Third Mainland Bridge,” he said.

Opeifa added that the rally would commence at 7:00am and asked motorist to tune in to Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1 FM for traffic information every 15 minutes.

“The State Government appeals for caution and cooperation from all road users by obeying all traffic regulations and ensuring traffic flow during the campaign period. The State Government, while regretting any inconveniences, has directed all relevant traffic agencies to ensure free flow of traffic,” he stated.

However, a statement from the Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Iborogba said the APC change train would make a grand stopover in Lagos on Friday in continuation of the Party’s nationwide Presidential Campaign to spread the message of change to Nigerians across the country ahead of next month’s General Elections.

He said the progressives’ train, which has traversed the geo-political blocks in the country, has shown Nigerians the preparedness to provide the missing link in the country’s quest to get better and progress as a nation so that it can quickly assume the leadership on the African Continent, the emerging market.

“Bearing in its coaches are such prominent Nigerians as the National Leader of the Party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, its Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Governors of APC states, among others,” he said.

Ibirogba said the campaign train would coast at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, where the host Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola would be on hand to receive the eminent dignitaries.

He urged Lagosians and, indeed, all Nigerians to come early to grace the occasion, assuring that adequate security would be available to take care of participants.

“Like in other such rallies, both at the national and state levels, the theme of the rally will focus on the need for change at the Centre, and the manifesto of the Party, which contains its numerous programmes and strategies aimed at sanitizing the country and taking it to the next level for the benefit of all Nigerians, will be unveiled to for the buy-in of Lagosians who are expected to give it a critical analysis and take ownership of it.

“The mega rally, which takes off from 10.00 a.m., will also have in attendance Party leaders, supporters and sympathizers from across the countries, who have been advised to cooperate with traffic officials to aid their movement and to report any issues to officials for assistance,” he said.