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.