Despite Condemnation, Peter Obi’s Only Governor Emulates Tinubu’s Lagos Legacy

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has summoned courage to embrace the over 20 years development plan of the current President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Lagos when he was the Executive Governor of the state even despite heavy condemnation of the development plan by his party, Labour Party.

Governor Otti has signed an agreement with a Chinese company to launch the construction of a light rail project in the state, the first of its kind in the entire Southeastern state, if delivered.

The developmental space of Lagos has been unique, leading, and unmatched by any other state in the country, and the credit has been reasonably awarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had not only held on with the political structure of the state since he was the State Governor between 1999 and 2007, he supervised and ensure great compliance with what many people regarded as Tinubu’s development template for Lagos.

Despite the visibility of the development cadre in the State of Excellence, Lagos, members of the Labour Party and the political followers of its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, have attempted to deny President Tinubu the credit for moving Lagos State forward, and far ahead of others in the country.

Strengthening his resolution to actualize a stronger Lagos in both infrastructural and commercial developments, President Tinubu claimed the credit for the development agenda during the commissioning of the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, a 37km project expected to reduce travel time and improve transportation and logistics in the state.

Full of confidence, President Tinubu said: “I am very happy indeed that today is a day to remember in Nigeria’s infrastructural history, particularly Lagos, the center of excellence. Today is evidence that it is good to dream, and it is a serious validation of democracy as a form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

“When you put people at the center of your vision and planning, you will realize the value of democracy.

“Twenty-five years ago, I was elected to lead Nigeria’s most populous state. From the very beginning, my team and I toiled day and night with a very bare cupboard and amidst pervasive deficiency to implement a developmental vision that would transform Lagos into an economic powerhouse. Today, we are realizing that dream.

“The momentum of greatness we kickstarted a quarter of a century ago has become unstoppable progress. It is not a crime to dream and dream big. Just stay focused and make development a central focus.

Governor Otti, in a couple of days, may have to answer some questions including why he embraced Tinubu’s development vision, abandoning the development idea of Mr. Peter Obi who has also served as the Governor of Anambra State.