Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday described his Lagos State counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode, as the governor general of Nigeria.
He added that the position of Lagos as the economic nerve centre of the country and Ambode’s brilliant performance could not be downplayed in any form.
Speaking while receiving Ambode on a courtesy visit at Government House in Oke-Fia Osogbo, Aregbesola said considering the fact that the economy of Lagos was about the summation of economies of 30 states in Nigeria, one would be denying the obvious not to recognise the vantage position of the state and its governor in the scheme of affairs in the country.
“I recognise the governor of Lagos State who by my own assessment is the governor general of Nigeria. I say so for a very good reason. It is not a question of age of the occupant of that office or his tenure. It is simply an attestation to the fact that the economy of Lagos is about the summation of the economies of 30 states in Nigeria. One will be deceiving himself not to recognise that fact,” Aregbesola said.
While recalling similar visit to former Governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande, by the then Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, Aregbesola described Ambode’s visit as historic and apt coming at a time when the state lost some illustrious indigenes and in the wake of democratic assault which he recently suffered, saying that he had been greatly encouraged, motivated and given calm disposition by the visit.
Earlier, Governor Ambode said the visit was basically to show solidarity and reflect and expand the brotherhood that the south west region was striving to achieve especially by ensuring the success of the integration of the Yoruba nation.
“I am here to say that I want to further the economic partnership that should exist between the State of Osun and Lagos State. Yes, we have Lake Rice, yes we have a partnership with Kebbi State but the economic integration and food security of the south west remains in the vineyard of Osun and other states that surround Lagos.
“Obviously, we have the consumer strength of the market, we have the commerce but we must integrate backward towards the south west and ensure that the economic prowess of the regional integration that we set out to achieve is put in place for generations yet unborn,” Ambode said.
