‎Tinubu commissions rebuilt Lagos Governors’ Lodge, urges leaders to build for posterity

‎—Sanwo-Olu: Government should build for generations, not personal enjoyment ‎-–Says Lagos will repay President January 16 ‎ ‎By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ‎ ‎ABUJA — PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has charged political leaders to preserve and improve public assets for the benefit of future generations, asserting that effective governance should be measured by the quality of infrastructure and institutions handed over to the people. ‎ ‎This is as the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured President Tinubu that the Lagos people will reciprocate on January 16, 2027 the support of the Federal Government for Lagos through interventions in roads, railways and bridges. ‎ ‎President Tinubu, who was represented by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, made the charge on Tuesday while inaugurating the reconstructed Lagos State Governors’ Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja. ‎ ‎The President lauded Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for delivering the new facility, describing it as evidence of Lagos State’s dedication to excellence and prudent stewardship of public assets ‎ ‎He said public assets belonged to the people and must be preserved, improved and developed to serve generations yet unborn. ‎ ‎According to him: “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.” ‎ ‎The President observed that completing the project on schedule demonstrated the Lagos State Government’s dedication and the efforts of all those involved in delivering it. ‎ ‎He recalled that the old structure was demolished in October 2025 to make way for the new facility, which he described as a befitting official residence for the Lagos State Governor and his family whenever they were in Abuja. ‎ ‎Tinubu said Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub and centre of excellence, deserved infrastructure that reflected its standing and aspirations. ‎ ‎He also prayed that the facility would remain a place of peace, comfort and hospitality for successive administrations and their families. ‎ ‎In his remarks, the Lagos state governor, Mr.

Sanwo-Olu described the commissioning as another historic milestone for Lagos, explaining that the new lodge was designed not merely as an official residence but as an institutional centre for government business, strategic engagements and the state’s relationship with the Federal Government. ‎ ‎The governor said that, although Lagos ceased to be Nigeria’s capital when the seat of government moved to Abuja in December 1991, it has continued to retain substantial economic and political influence in national administration ‎ ‎He noted that the old lodge had served the state for several decades but no longer adequately reflected its present status and growing responsibilities. ‎ ‎“We believe that Lagos deserves a rebuild, and that is what has happened and what we are doing here today,” he said. ‎ ‎Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the project was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, which delivered the facility in within 15 months. ‎ ‎He praised the construction company for delivering the project on schedule, despite the technical challenges involved, including excavation to a depth of nearly 10 metres. ‎ ‎Sanwo-Olu also expressed appreciation to Tinubu for what he described as the Federal Government’s support for Lagos through interventions in roads, railways and bridges. ‎ ‎He said the state’s more than 22 million residents appreciated the President’s interventions and expressed confidence that his administration would continue to serve the country. ‎ ‎The governor, who is expected to leave office in May 2027, said the facility was built for successive administrations rather than for his personal enjoyment. ‎ ‎“I believe a government should build things, not stay long for itself to enjoy,” he said. ‎ ‎He added that the responsibility of governance was to leave public institutions and infrastructure better than they were inherited and create legacies that would endure beyond individual administrations. ‎ ‎Speaking earlier, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, said the reconstructed lodge marked a renewed institutional presence for Lagos in Abuja, approximately 35 years after the state and other federating units established their presence in the Federal Capital Territory. ‎ ‎Hamzat said the project was a strategic investment aimed at providing a more conducive environment for official engagements, hospitality, government business and interactions with the diplomatic community and private sector. ‎ ‎He noted that the improved facility, with expanded amenities and modern infrastructure, reflected the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to ensuring that public assets remained fit for purpose. ‎ ‎The commissioning brought together former governors of Lagos State, ‎Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and Akinwunmi Ambrose, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, memb