Barely 24 hours after the Federal cabinet was inaugurated, All Progressives Congress, APC, national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has assured Nigerians and the global community that the nation was being managed by credible personalities that will restore the glory of Nigeria.
This came even as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State launched the Mile 12-Ikorodu Road expansion and Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, operation with 434 buses for the pilot scheme.
The occasion was graced by prominent personalities led by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and top government functionaries, traditional rulers, market women, among others.
Tinubu told the large crowd at the launch of the bus scheme: “We will continue to develop this country to compete with the superpowers. When we started the urban renewal, they thought that we were lost and had no vision. But they do not know about the planning period that is required to modernize any decay in government.
“Today, it is applicable to President Muhammadu Buhari. The planning period that it is taking to re-engineer and re-design the governance of Nigeria was the same method they were blaming us for then.
“They called me ‘go slow’ and at that time, I was complaining about the paucity of funds.
“Oil was selling at about $11 per barrel and I said that we will be out of it soon and people said that I should go and do my plan and stop the lamentation.
“But my cabinet, including Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, were part of that dream and the vision for the mission to reclaim and redevelop Lagos State.”
Says Fashola ‘ll succeed
Tinubu said: “Leadership is about how many other leaders one is able to discover to do great things for the country. We deserve what we are getting in Lagos; success, continuity and good governance.
“For instance, Ambode did not lobby for the seat of Lagos, but we discovered him. I am now a great grandfather.
“You could see that when the announcement was made yesterday, Lagos State took the front seat in Fashola and we believe that he will succeed and many of them, too. Nigeria is now in good hands.”
In his brief address at the event, Ambode said his government was committed to improving the transportation network in a bid to reduce traffic and attract investors to the state, basically to fund the strategic master plan.
The governor said: “The plan is already being implemented. It is a 30-year plan that will deliver an integrated transport system with six rail lines, one mono-rail, 14 BRT corridors and 26 developed water routes.
“We are working towards commencing operation of the first phase of the blue line rail project in the next 12 months.
“The challenges are daunting, but we will not be discouraged. We are committed to turning the challenges to opportunities.
“We will ride on them to create a future that residents of Lagos will be proud of.”
Source: Vanguard