Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State has again, reaffirmed his commitment to dismantling the Lekki Toll Gate if voted into office next year. He also decried the on-going extortion which he described as brazen, and promised to end it forthwith.

Agbaje was apparently responding to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate’s one-hour free passage to motorist during his visit to the toll gate yesterday. The PDP candidate who criticized the APC insisted that relaxing this oppressive policy for campaign and politics is not only unfortunate but an insult on the people of Lagos State who have fought vigorously for many years now for the dismantling of the toll gate.

Agbaje also described the free passage and the accompanying drama as mere tokenism. He therefore called on Lagosians to reject the APC and their strategy of perpetually exploiting and impoverishing the people.

According to him, “the toll gate which was originally built by a concessionaire, is now the property of Lagos State government because they have now bought it over. Yet, Lagosians are still paying.

“Unfortunately, the toll gate is opaque because no one knows its financial records. So, asking people on your campaign trail and others to pass without paying for just one hour is absurd and regrettable.

“Good road is a fundamental right of citizens and we promise to deliver on this and many other things. At the moment, most Lagos roads are impassable because of their poor condition. Now, motorists are compelled to pay heavily for passage.

“How about the so-called alternative routes? Ideally, government should have provided alternative routes to the Lekki Toll Gate but the available alternate route is in a terrible shape, so everybody is forced to use the toll gate and pay.

“Therefore, yesterday’s drama by the governorship candidate of the APC is a farce. Nobody was deceived by the party’s action which also smacks of disrespect and bondage.

“Again, we have been vindicated on our freedom and democracy mantra. The government of the day is impinging on our freedom and liberty by continually collecting money at the Lekki Toll Gate and other roads in the metropolis where illegal collection is taking place.”