By Lukman Olabiyi
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Air Peace Chairman Alex Onyema, and others have praised Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his infrastructure-driven agenda, calling him a “round peg in the hole” for his governance of the state.
Fayose, Onyema, and others lauded the governor for his efforts to maintain Lagos’s status as a pace-setter in the country. They expressed their commendations at the formal opening of the reconstructed network of roads in Ikeja GRA, which include Oba Dosunmu Street, Oduduwa Way, Oduduwa Crescent, Sobo Arobiodu, and Sasegbon streets.
While praising Sanwo-Olu, Fayose acknowledged that, six years ago, when the governor replaced former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, there were doubts, including his own, about Sanwo-Olu’s competence. However, Fayose said the governor has since silenced those doubts, including his own.
“You have sent the right signal. I celebrate your progress and appreciate you. Six years ago, many people doubted your capacity, including me, but you have proved us wrong. We love you,” Fayose remarked.
The former governor further clarified that although he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he appreciates good performance. “I am not a member of APC and will never be a member, but when someone is good, he’s good,” he said. “You cannot go for a third term, but we can push you to the federal level.”
In his remarks, Alex Onyema thanked Sanwo-Olu for transforming Ikeja GRA and Lagos as a whole. He described the governor as a “round peg in a round role” and praised his performance, comparing it favourably to that of President Bola Tinubu when he was governor in 1999. Onyema expressed confidence in Sanwo-Olu’s future potential at the federal level.
“I am proud of Lagos State. You have outshined the President when he was governor. We need you someday at the federal level. We have found a new Nigerian leader in Sanwo-Olu. Don’t leave politics after leaving the government; we need people like you to transform Nigeria,” Onyema said.
In response, Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that the newly reconstructed roads would enhance the socio-economic development of Ikeja and its surroundings, reduce traffic congestion, and address the persistent flooding in the GRA area. He promised that more roads would be constructed across the state.
“No part of the state will be left behind. We will not shy away from quality leadership. We will serve the good people and provide real dividends of democracy,” he said.
The Special Adviser for the Office of Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, added that the newly rehabilitated roads would ease vehicular movement and improve interconnectivity. He noted that Ikeja GRA, as a prestigious location, deserves a good network of roads as it serves as both a residential area and a vibrant mixed-development district.