Chief Bode George, a former PDP National Deputy Chairman, on Tuesday led some leaders of the party in Lagos State on a visit to the scene of a recent fire incident at Dosunmu Market on Lagos Island.
A total of four buildings collapsed due to the intensity of the fire that engulfed the market on April 9.
The Lagos Territorial National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had told Newsmen that 14 other buildings housing many shops were seriously impacted by the inferno.
Addressing scores of traders affected by the inferno, George, in company of other PDP leaders, including Sen. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, a former deputy governor and Capt. Tunji Shelle, ex-Lagos PDP Chairman, said that the party shared in the pains and losses of the victims.
George, a life PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) member, who commended the people for their patience, said that he came not for politics, but to see how to alleviate the burden of the victims.
He promised to take the matter to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and see how to restore hope to the people.
“I will put this on my head. This is my area. I grew up here. I want to say that whatever it will take, I will give it.
“I will take it up personally with my younger brother and Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“It is not about party, it is about the people who must feed and take care of their children and family.
“The governor has to find something to do on this. I will lead the fight for you,” George assured.
The PDP chieftain, who noted that he never imagined the magnitude of damage wreaked, urged them traders to be patient.
He added: “Coming here and see it is completely empty and people are struggling, I am moved. This is where people get their daily meal. I will take it up.
“We don’t belong to the same party ,but this issue cuts across party line.
“All we want is for them (Gov. Sanwo-Olu and President Bola Tinubu) to get up and support these people and ensure that their income comes back.
“It is the responsibility of the government. I will visit him (Sanwo-Olu) and lay major complaint.
“I don’t want to politicise it, I am here as a Lagosian, this is my own local government, I will not want to see the people suffer.
“It is his responsibility as the state chief executive to remould the place, whether the traders have papers or no paper.
“If the governor does this, the traders and the property owners will never forget him for ever and ever.
“That’s is the essence of being in government. Government is not for self. So, I will take it up. He is a brother and we shall see to it.”
Speaking on behalf of the affected traders, Mr Abdurahmon Ajanaku, the General Secretary, Pedro Market, commended the PDP chieftains for identifying with the people.
Ajanaku, who noted that the traders had been kept in the dark since the incident, urged the state government not to abandon the victims.
Stating that the the damage and losses were huge, Ajanaku said that since the visit of the governor to the scene and the reported setting up of a committee, the traders were yet to hear anything from the state government.
“Over a month now, we have not had the opportunity to sit down with the state government to speak on this matter since the Gov. came to visit this scene.
“We want us to talk, though we heard the government has set up a committee. We want the government to look at us and show us mercy and compassion.
“They government has not got back to us and has not held any meeting with us. Ajanaku said.
He said no fewer than 5000 families were affected by the inferno .
“How we are going to be comforted is what we are asking for.
“We don’t want a situation whereby the government, after rebuilding the shops, will be asking us to deposit N15 million to rent them,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Oluwatoyin Dosunmu said that her family had lost what their progenitor left behind for them.
Dosunmu, who noted that so many women and their families lost so much to the fire, urged the government not to add to their problems by dismantling the make-shift tents being used for trading.
Other affected traders took turns to plead with Sanwo-Olu and President Bola Tinubu to come to their aid.
The wife of the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaja Kafilat Amode, who deals in bridal materials ,also lost a shop and two warehouses, containing items worth millions of naira,to the inferno.
