Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo – Olu has set the record straight by giving Tinubu the credit of being the brain behind the development plan being implemented by Successive administrations which has elevated governance in the State. This Sanwo – Olu said is a fact that could not be denied by anyone who worked closely with the former Lagos Governor from 1999 to 2007. Governor Sanwo – Olu set the record straight when he was a special guest at Your View a broadly watched programme on TVC, where he spoke about his Government’s achievements, his re – election, Family Values and relationship with the APC Presidential Candidate. Lagos is widely believed to be a model for good governance, infrastructure renewal and innovation. The State recently made history as the first sub – national entity in Africa to complete modern intra – city rail infrastructure without Federal Budgetary allocation – feat widely applauded. Governor Sanwo – Olu said Tinubu could not be deprived of the credit for the reforms that set the direction for the Infrastructural Programmes delivered by his successors to transform Lagos to one of the biggest economics in Africa, The Governor who said his working relationship with Tinubu in 2002, emphasised that he was a living witness to development of Lagos State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy ( LASEEDS ) under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The LASSEDS Governor Sanwo – Olu said was harmonised with a 10 Point Agenda document and became the precursor to the Lagos State Development Plan ( LSDP) that originated from the Lagos Economic Summit ( Ehingbeti Initiated by the Tinubu administration. He said “With all sense of humility, as a General Manager from the Bank he joined Tinubu in November 2002 and that from the first day of his appointment he was in Tinubu’s Cabinet and saw things at first hand. We had what we called a 10 point agenda, which laid the foundation for revenue generation drive, transportation reform and public infrastructure renewal. LASEEDS and SEEDS documents were working blueprint for transformation in Lagos. We set up the Ehingbeti Summit year on year, where we collate inputs from private sector and Put them in flesh of public documents and generate a working paper we could implement. I was the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, so i was part of those that developed the document setting up the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority ( LAMATA ) , this did not come out of the space: Tinubu set up LAMATA with the World Bank in 2002, I was part of the first set of personnel that worked in LAMATA, which is one of the transportation agencies in the World. That was how the blueprint was developed and had a 20 year development plan for it, which former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola improved on. He expunged some items and replaced them based on realities of the period. Former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode did similar thing. Our Government is doing same, because we were able to see the challenges of previous governments and we decided on those things we can take quickly. Tinubu he said deserves the credit for the assemblage of intelligent people that worked with him to develop implementable blueprint. Sanwo – Olu dismissed the speculation in certain quarters that Tinubu had been running Lagos by proxy, nothing that the former Governor has since moved to the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) in the last six years where he had been contributing his quota to national development and building the ruling party. The Governor; however, said Tinubu’s experience in governance qualified him as the right person from whom adviced is sought for right direction and his like a father and a man that i respect personally. I cannot take that away. On why he should be giving another mandate by Lagosians in the coming general election, Sanwo – Olu said “One of the strongest point of a leader and for the people to understand you don’t have to be in peoples face to get your task done. All you have to do is to roll up your sleeves and get the job done. He asked the people to check his background as Integrity is what he live by. As a treasurer in a bank his words has always be his bond. When i give commitment on any issues i keep to it, because it is not about him alone but it is about our future and the legacy we are leaving behind. The Governor said we have kept faith with with all the things we said we would do under the THEME agenda. With all sense of responsibility we have performed and earned people’s trust. Let join hands and be on this train together. We can imagine what’s coming in another four years.
SANWO – OLU : TINUBU MUST BE GIVING CREDIT AS BRAIN BEHIND LAGOS TRANFORMATION
