Lagos and Imo states seek collaboration

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Sunday played host to his Imo State counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, restating that in as much as Lagos serves as home to everyone, it demands that as the people interact, they should do so within the confines of the rules that regulate the society.

Governor Fashola who spoke at Lagos House, Marina added that when this is done, it becomes easier for more people to benefit, stressing that when rules are broken, it is only a few who break the rules that benefit while the larger society is left out.“For all people of South East extraction, our place has always been a place of succour and land of promise and land of opportunity for them”, Governor Fashola added.

While acknowledging the efforts of several Nigerians of South East extractions who have invested in Lagos in terms of businesses and real estates, the Governor stressed that the administration remains committed as a government and a people to protect the real estate assets of such people because the investments are signs that they do not intend to leave the State.

The Lagos State Governor stated that though some of the policies of the State may cost discomfort, the citizens should never assume that such policies were targeted at one section or one end of the populace deliberately.“If there are policy issues by the government that affects any citizen, there are ways of redressing such policies, but those channels will not be pursued by first bringing forward the regional position, ethnic position or religious position. When this is done, the substance is lost”.

Governor Fashola alluded to the position of the Imo State Governor on development of the states and regions saying that States as the laboratories of best practices when aggregated will accelerate the development of Nigeria quicker and faster.“I believe that you have the opportunity to espouse some of these postulations at the various meetings like Governors’ Forum and Council of States with the freshness that you bring. This generation has the opportunity to demonstrate that Nigeria is not a lost cause”, he added.

Governor Fashola said the doors of the administration is open for partnership with other states to share ideas, to share best practices and to learn from one another about what each other has and stressed that “our belief is that people will not be great by what they already know but by what they seek to know”.

The Lagos State Governor also posited that he sees beyond the talk about the Yorubas, Ibos, Fulani and Hausas, “I only see Nigerian people. For me, it is not about where you come from, but about who you are, what you do, what you promise and how you will do it”.Speaking earlier, Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha said he was at Lagos House, Marina to explore possibility of partnering with Lagos State in many areas of human development.

He commended the total determination of Governor Fashola to serve the people of Lagos and urged all to borrow a leaf from his exceptional performance.

Owelle Okorocha also applauded the strong relationship existing between the Yorubas and Ibos in Lagos calling for a strengthening of such relationship such that an Ibo man would be able to contest for elections in Lagos just as an indigene of Lagos can also contest for elective positions in the South East.

He also called for the strengthening of States and regions in the country because they are compulsory components of Nigeria