Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari at the event.

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9 years ago

Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, flanked by Senator Ahmed Ogembe (left); Senator Ben Uwajumogu (second left); Senator Isiaka Adeleke (third left); Senator Abdullahi Gumal (third right); Senator Obinna Ogbu and Senator Sam Anyanwu (right), during a visit to the governor by the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Tuesday.

THE governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday, appealed to the Senate to revisit the bill seeking a special status for Lagos, noting that the passage of the bill would translate to economic prosperity and well-being of Nigeria.

The bill, which clamours for one per cent allocation to Lagos from the revenue accruable to the Federal Government, was rejected by the Senate earlier last month.

But speaking in Lagos during a visit to him by members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, who were in Lagos to perform oversight function on federal institutions, Ambode maintained that Lagos being a cosmopolitan city and the economic capital of the country should be assisted by the Federal Government to address infrastructure challenges confronting it.

He noted that considering the fact that Lagos used to be the federal capital and “is home to every tribe in the country,” the passage of the bill by Senators should be viewed from the point of its importance to the country, and not just to Lagos.

While clarifying the essence of the bill, the governor said: “it only seeks one per cent special allocation from the revenue accruable to the Federal Government,” adding: “If we are able to do that, you can imagine what we would have done 25 years ago based on the understanding of gentlemen that Lagos would not be left behind or forgotten.”

Earlier, the chairman of the committee, Senator Yerima, commended Ambode for the massive development going on in Lekki, especially the Lekki Deep Sea Port situated at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, among other massive projects across the State, adding that the Senate would support anything that has to do with Lagos being a small Nigeria.

He specifically assured that the Senate would revisit the issue of the special status for Lagos, noting that as the former capital of the country, everything should be done to support the state.

“Lagos is not only for Lagosians. If you look at Lagos, it has been the national capital and up till this moment, you find people from all states of the federation earning living here and so anything we do for Lagos, we are not doing it for Lagos alone and I will call Lagos a mini Nigeria. So, by the grace of God, we are going to look at the bill again,” Yerima said.