The outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, on Tuesday handed over the reins of office to their successors.
Ambode, in a brief private ceremony at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, handed over to the incoming governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the official handover today (Wednesday).
Answering questions from the press after the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu said Ambode advised him on how to move the state forward.
“After the inauguration, the governance of the state starts immediately,” he added.
The Head of Service, Mr Hansen Muri-Okunola, who accompanied Sanwo-Olu, said the outgoing governor did a private handover of “loads of documents” to the governor-elect.
“He has also handed over a document containing activities of the previous administration spanning 12 years,” he added.
Earlier, Ambode said in a state broadcast that all the decisions of his administration in the last four years were taken with the interest of residents in mind.
He added that the driving force behind programmes executed was to lift more people out of poverty and make every part of the state economically viable and liveable.
“A few of our policies might have been unpopular, but these were decisions taken with the best interest of our state in mind. With the benefit of hindsight, maybe we could have done some things differently, but our intention was always clear; for the good of Lagos,” Ambode said.
Amosun on Tuesday also handed over documents containing details of the state affairs to the governor-elect, Dapo Abiodun.
The outgoing governor, who had earlier been “pulled out” of office during a parade by the police, was represented at the official handover by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.
Adeoluwa gave the documents to the deputy governor-elect, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who represented her boss.
The documents presented included a handover note; a financial statement; the last audited report of the state as at December 31, 2018, and a report on the Homeowners’ Charter.
Salako-Oyedele, who said the incoming government would review ongoing projects in the state, assured residents of good governance.
Meanwhile, in his parting words at the entrance of the governor’s office, Amosun said he had done his part, adding that he was leaving the state better than he met it.
“Someone says I am running away; yes, but I will be running to Mecca to say thank you to God and I will be away for like 14 days because I will be coming for sallah.
“History will write that I came and this is how I left it,” he said.
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