“I am sharing my thoughts in this article, not necessarily as the Governor of Lagos State but as a Nigerian; a Nigerian who wants to see progress and sustainable growth in our country. I have been lucky to be administering over a state that has been put on the right track by my two predecessors, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). I do not think I have done anything special except to bring my own style of leadership, my own experience and my vision. Lagos, as it is, has not reached its peak but we can see signs of progress and positive transition to the Lagos of our dreams. What bothers me personally is that I do not see the same level of progress elsewhere in the country. I am not happy that most states in our country are not advancing like Lagos.”
This was the random thoughts shared by the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, last year in one of the national dailies, where he encouraged other states to emulate the Centre of Excellence, Lagos, in pushing pro-people policies.
At least not since the inception of the Fourth Republic no Lagos governor has spent one term in office without clinching the second term.
Besides, since the advent of civilian rule in Nigeria in 1999, Lagos has been so privileged to have great and credible governors that have governed the state.
Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu ruled the state from 1999 to 2007, then come Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who took over from Tinubu and ruled from 2007 to 2015, before the advent of the current governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who stepped in as the third governor in political dynasty headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 2015 till date. The unbroken continuity has seen Lagos in a seamless development in all facets to the amazement of many of its peers in the federation.
Interestingly, the luminary governors, who for solid 16 years painstakingly laid the foundation to move the state to an enviable position it rightly deserves among the world leading cities, have immensely and positively impacted the city-state based on their infrastructural and developmental projects that have given the state adorable facelifts.
Therefore, the incumbent governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, had no reason to be indolent as he is working day and night to further transform every nook and cranny of the state since he was sworn-in on May 29, 2015.
He has actually continued from where the former governor stopped, though new innovations, verves and beautiful dimensions to governance without underestimating the power of Lagosians.
Besides, if performances are bases to adjudge governors’ performance in Nigeria, no doubt, Governor Ambode will stand tall among most of his peers. The outgoing governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, while acknowledging Ambode’s deep, wide and speedy projects once described him as the ‘Governor General of Nigeria.’
No matter how brilliant the members of a cabinet are, if the leader is not equally or better endowed there would be no one to set the pace and direction for cutting-edge development. If Lagos, arguably the fifth largest economy in Africa, is presenting itself as an example for other states and attracting attention from within and outside the African continent, it is an indication that a luminous vision is firmly in place. The vision that is continually remoulded and refined is a pointer to the fact that a leader possessing character and confidence is at the helm of affairs running the show.
The energies that Ambode brings to the job, and the organised ideas that undergird his stewardship, not to say the soundness of his visions, will ensure that the projects he has committed himself to, whether Eko Atlantic City, Fourth Mainland Bridge, Dubainisation of Alimosho, renewal of Ikeja Business District and the rapid metamorphosis of the Lekki Axis, among other great developments, will permanently change the landscape of Lagos.
Quiet but humble in nature, the former Accountant General of Lagos State’s vision leaves no room for underdevelopment in any area, whether it is lighting up the city, keeping the city clean, building homes, rebuilding roads, providing security, tackling transportation, building theatres and so on.
Tidbits of words on marble by party leaders on Ambode
The three Senators representing Lagos at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Gbenga Ashafa, Lagos East; Oluremi Tinubu, Lagos Central and Solomon Olamilekan, Lagos West; once said in a letter of endorsement:
“We, particularly, are proud of the infrastructure development that you have brought to the entire state in general and to our districts in particular. Your smart solutions in tackling the traffic and security challenges that initially faced your administration have become template for other states to copy. Also, your strategic partnerships with Kebbi and Kano States have thrown more light to the capacity of Lagos State and the creative manager of man and resources which you are. We must also mention that through the course of the period which our country battled with an economic recession, you made sure that Lagos State remained well above the curve.”
Member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives from Lagos State and Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, endorsed Ambode for a second term in office.
“Because of the giant strides of our amiable Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in the last two and a half years in governing the state; because of the things he has done across the board, across all the Local Government Areas, across different sectors, we sat together and we decided without a dissenting voice to seek his audience and endorse him for re-election in 2019 as the Governor of Lagos State.”
Chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State endorsed Ambode for a second term in office.
“Our decision to support him for another term in office is based on the fact that he has performed extremely well. We can all see that everything that he has done in Lagos State, no other state has been able to do that. He has done very well.
“He (Ambode) never gave excuses; he was always ready with solutions. He is a bundle of creativity, intelligence and honesty in governance.”
It will be recall that during the official flag off of the SMART Transportation For Lagos Campaign, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu described Ambode as a man who is extremely gifted in providing solutions to problems, no matter how daunting the challenges.
“When we were thinking of whom to succeed Babatunde Raji Fashola as Lagos State governor, Ambode himself never thought about it; we sought him out and I’m proud to be a grandfather.”
So one wonders why the sudden change of atmosphere, when in real sense, Governor Ambode has the genuine mandate to lead the state to another level if given the chance to run for a second term in 2019.
There is no doubt that politics in Nigeria is always full of drama and intrigues that one could hardly guess what the conclusion will be exactly. But then, the Jagaban of Lagos politics, who has always spoken so well of his ‘godson’ should embrace him like a true father does regardless of what might have transpired between them in the last three and half years.
By and large, the All Progressives Congress (APC) members, stakeholders and Lagosians as a whole should support continuity and support Ambode’s second term bid for a greater and better state in the 2019 elections.
By Augustine Akhilomen