*As Fashola pledges refund to Lagos, others for federal roads done
For the first time since he took
over on May 29, 2015, Governor of Lagos State Akinwumi Ambode, has finally bowed for the truth as he commends his immediate predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), for what he calls the former governor’s meritorious service to the government and people of Lagos State during his administration.
Ambode, for reason best known to him, had engaged in serious open mudslinging against Fashola, whom he once allegedly portrayed as a failure leaving most projects uncompleted as at the time he left. One of the close aides of the governor was heard on a privately owned radio station in Lagos saying that “many of the abandoned projects that our governor, Ambode, inherited he has now completed and is commissioning them.” The Ambode’s aide said apparently referring to Fashola as a performer in dream.
The governor also recently ditched out another heat saying Federal Government was frustrating his efforts to reconstruct the Oshodi-Toyota axis on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway through International Airport road in the state saying the road’s condition was now a national disgrace. Ambado apparently issued that media attack on the Federal Government knowing full well that the bulk stops on the desk of his immediate predecessor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who is now the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
It however caught many with surprise that the Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, made a u-turn on Saturday when he commended the Minister who paid him a courtesy visit as part of his tour of Federal Government road projects in the South West, which took him to Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and, particularly, Lagos.
It was a warm homecoming for the former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, when his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Saturday, not only joyously received him at the Lagos House, Ikeja, but also lauded him for his achievements during the eight years he spent as governor of the State.
Speaking when he received Fashola and some top officials of the Ministry at the Lagos House, Ikeja, Ambode described the visit as historic, the first time since he left office.
“The last 18 years has been so dramatic and historic in terms of the growth and development that we have seen in Lagos, commencing from 1999 when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into office and the eight good years spent by you and the two years we have done. So, obviously, there is a remarkable change between 1999 and now,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor also pledged to expand the existing collaboration with the Federal Government for the benefit of all.
Earlier, Fashola, who described the visit as home-coming for him, said he had come with his team to Lagos as part of a nationwide project monitoring exercise to inspect the job done so far on Federal Government projects.
He assured that the Ministry had made representations to the Federal Executive Council on modalities to pay debts owed State Governments, including Lagos State for rehabilitation of federal roads over the years, saying that the debts would be paid through bond instrument.
