By Ayo Kehinde
The second term ambition of Governor Akinwumni Ambode of Lagos State was on Saturday confirmed by his campaign organisation, Akin Ambode Campaign Group, AACG, during it fourth anniversary lecture, awards and investiture ceremony, held at the crew pavilion, along Agege Motor Road.
At the colourful ceremony attended by members of the organisation drawn from the 20 local governments and 37 council development areas of the state, the group restated in goodwill messages, lecture and statements that the ceremony was their medium to appeal to the governor to re-contest again in 2019.
According to Chief Akintunde Ambode, Co-ordinator of the organisation, the group which was formed on October 2013 and comprising politicians, artisans, traditional rulers, businessmen and women, believes that the governor has performed and deserves a second term.
“Having seen his performance we want to appeal to him to come out to govern us again. People may say that because I am his brother, I am biased. But the truth is that from what the Lagos market women and men are saying, people on the streets and every Lagos resident, we are convinced he has done well and deserves a second term” When asked whether the organisation was not trying to force the hand of the party, two years ahead of time for its primaries, he shook his head sideway and took time to answer. “What we are going to do is to appeal to him to consider our position”.
Earlier, the guest speaker at the occasion, Hon. Segun Olulade said the governor’s achievements in two years has marked him out as a leader who knows how “to manage resources and men”, besides the fact that state is very rich in Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
He said among others that “governments are constituted to take care of the needs of their citizens… Governments are measures by models. Anytime we say Lagos is blessed by IGR, we should remember that it is also blessed with capable leadership, those who know how to manage resources adequately, right from the time of Jateef Jakande through military governors like General Buba Marwa and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If we say it is all about resources why are we not doing well as a nation? It is also not about power. It is about leadership… When Ambode assumed office, he set up ministry of wealth creation, to create a pool of resources to support entrepreneurs to start business in Lagos State. Similar outfits to rebrand the state are restructuring of the civil service for better delivery, Office of Foreign Investment, Clean Up Lagos Initiative… which shows he is a good executor and manager of resources…”
Soon after, other goodwill messages were taken as well as donations. Then a motion for the endorsement of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for second term was moved, voted and resolved.
