Tinubu inaugurates new Lagos governor’s Abuja lodge

President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, inaugurated the reconstructed Lagos Governors’ Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, saying public assets must outlive individual leaders.

Tinubu, represented by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, urged political leaders to preserve and improve public infrastructure for the benefit of future generations.

He said governance should be measured by the quality of infrastructure and institutions bequeathed to the people.

The president, a former Lagos State governor, said the state, as Nigeria’s commercial hub and centre of excellence, deserved infrastructure reflecting its status and aspirations.

He commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for delivering the facility, describing it as evidence of the state’s commitment to excellence and responsible management of public infrastructure.

Mr Tinubu said public assets belonged to the people and must be preserved, improved and developed to serve generations yet unborn.

“Public assets belong to the people, and it is our responsibility as leaders to preserve what has been entrusted to us, improve it where necessary, and provide lasting infrastructure that future generations can inherit and benefit from,” he said.

He said the timely completion of the project demonstrated the Lagos State Government’s commitment and the efforts of those involved in its execution.

The president recalled that the old structure was demolished in October 2025 to pave the way for the new facility, describing it as a befitting official residence for the Lagos governor and his family in Abuja.

He prayed that the facility would remain a place of peace, comfort and hospitality for successive administrations and their families.

Mr Sanwo-Olu described the inauguration of the lodge as another historic milestone, saying the lodge was designed as an institutional centre for government business, strategic engagements and relations with the Federal Government.

He said Lagos continued to maintain significant economic and political interests in Abuja despite the relocation of Nigeria’s capital to the city in December 1991.

According to him, successive governors regularly visit Abuja for National Economic Council and Council of State meetings, engagements with ministers, lawmakers, diplomats, governors and investors.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the old lodge had served the state for decades but no longer reflected its present status and growing responsibilities.

He disclosed that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc executed the reconstruction project, which commenced in July 2025 and was completed in September 2026.

The governor commended the construction company for delivering the project within schedule despite technical challenges, including excavation work approximately 10 metres deep.

He said the facility belonged to Lagos residents and would provide a suitable environment for official engagements, hospitality and advancing the state’s interests.

Mr Sanwo-Olu, who is expected to leave office in May 2027, said the facility was built for successive administrations, stressing that governments should prioritise lasting legacies.

“I believe a government should build things, not stay long for itself to enjoy,” he said.

Earlier, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who hopes to succeed Mr Sanwo-Olu, described the reconstructed lodge as a renewed institutional presence of Lagos in Abuja and a strategic investment in government business, hospitality and official engagements. Mr Hamzat is the Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the upcoming 2027 election.

In his project briefing, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc’s Managing Director, Peer Lubasch, said the facility occupied approximately 2,700 square metres and comprised the main residence, guest house and utility building.

He said the project involved several subsidiaries of the Julius Berger Group, with PrimeTech handling designs, while other subsidiaries supplied windows, façade components and furniture.

The commissioning attracted former Lagos governors, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, state officials, captains of industry and other dignitaries.