Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday lauded his Edo
State counterpart, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for his achievements in the
last seven years, saying that it has impacted positively on not just the
economy of the State but the country in general.
Ambode who spoke when he visited Governor Oshiomhole at the Government
House, Benin, said he draws inspiration from Oshiomhole’s style of
leadership to bring good governance to the people of the State.
Governor Ambode who was recently appointed as the
Chairman, All progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for
the Edo Governorship Election slated for September 10, 2016, said,
“On a personal note, I am very proud of all the things you have done for
Edo State and even this country Nigeria, and I can say the few
achievements I have actually attained in Lagos State were driven and
inspired by the kind of energy you bring to governance and I am very
proud to be associated with you and the government of Edo State.”
He said he was pleased and humbled to be saddled with the task of
leading the APC campaign to retain the State, adding that continuity was
germane to sustain the path already laid down by the present
administration.
“I have come here this afternoon to accept physically the daunting task
which has been laid upon me by our national party and appointing me as
the chairman of the gubernatorial campaign committee of the
gubernatorial election coming up in Edo State.
“I am very pleased and humbled by that appointment. And I have come
here, firstly, to apologize for not being around on Saturday when the
committee was inaugurated because of some exigencies, and to show my
presence a few days after, and my commitment to ensure that our
gubernatorial candidate not only wins the election, but he is able to
show his footprints just like what the present governor has done, that
the APC and the change mantra is really in totality about what we want
governance to be in Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Ambode further added,
“I like to also say that what we have ahead of us as a party, that is,
APC, is beyond ordinary election. We need to take Nigeria out of its
doldrums, and the only party that can do that is APC, of which we are
happy to be aligned with your state and other progressive states in the
country. And that is why we are here as brothers, we offer ourselves and
we will continue to also send the same message across board across all
the progressive states.”
He said that Lagos State would explore the opportunities available to
develop a major commerce and economic relationship with Edo State as
soon as the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Mr
Godwin Obaseki emerges as Governor of Edo State, expressing optimism
that the partnership would ensure that Edo develops at a faster pace.
He said, “What I can promise your Excellency is that we have decided
that we will bring the whole machinery of the Lagos model to Edo State.
In addition to that, we believe strongly that Edo State has the
potential of becoming a giant in Africa also, and this relationship is
beyond the fact that it is historic, we also want to use this platform
of this campaign to start a major paradigm shift in terms of economic
and political relationship between Edo State and Lagos State.
“If we are to look deeply, we believe strongly in the potential of Edo
State which actually lies in the symbolic relationship that it can have
with Lagos.
And that is why I am personally taking this responsibility of being the
campaign chairman to ensure that beyond the campaign and the success of
the election, a major commerce and economic relationship commences
immediately with the in-coming governor, and also to let us actually
start to have bilateral economic and political relations that will be of
benefit to the people of Edo State, firstly, and then to the
improvement of the economic growth of Edo State.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole commended the Lagos Governor for taking
his assignment as the Chairman, APC National Campaign Council for Edo
State governorship election very seriously.
He said, “For us in Edo, it is clear that you have taken this assignment
seriously. It is one thing to accept an assignment, but the passion
with which you have accepted it, and to the extent to which you are
determined to go to ensure that we do everything we need to do to
continue to retain the governance of this state.
“Under your leadership, I have no doubt. We couldn’t have had a better campaign organization. So, I thank you for that.”
Oshiomhole who introduced the Governorship candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki
and his running mate, Mr Philip Shaibu to Governor Ambode said:
“We have a credible messenger that you are going to be able to help us
to market, and we also have a compelling message to put across to Edo
State. And we believe the election will be won on the basis of the
pedigree of the political parties, the pedigree of the individual and
what the two parties have to show to the people.”