October 19, 2014 – The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Sunday downplayed intention of the Federal Government (FG) to take over construction of the Lagos Badagry Express Way, noting that it will be an unfortunate idea to contemplate.
Fashola who was speaking at an occasion to mark his 2, 700 days in office said he has not heard of it neither did read of about it in the newspapers.
Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen had said in September 2014 that FG plans to take over the road adding that a new project design that involved five other ECOWAS member countries was being undertaken.
But Fashola said, “I have not heard it, I have no read it”, adding “ if they said so, then they will have us to deal. I don’t think it will be possible to contemplate that idea”, he said.
The governor said construction of the road is being undertaking by the Lagos State Government for public interest but decides not to comment further on the subject. “Let us leave it at that”, he pleaded.
Fashola who was angry that the Federal Government has released a statement detailing the debt profile of the state to the tune of N160 billion called on the FG to return the sum of N51 billion that the Lagos State Government has expended on federal roads, nothing that the debt burden of the state will be less and that the state will have less to burrow if that money is returned.
Fashola who was at Abuja last week where former Head of State, General Muhamadu Buhari made known his intention to contest the 2015 Presidential election if picked by the All Progressive Congress (APC) refused to comment on speculation that he may be the running mate of Buhari, stressing that he was at the event because Buhari personally sent him an invitation to an APC event.
He also doused speculation that governorship aspirants of the party in Lagos State are holding meetings to enable them come out with consensus candidate adding that the APC has a constitutions which prescribes primaries as prelude for emergence of candidates for elective offices.
The governor gave a pass mark to the entire APC candidate, stressing that any of them is capable of carrying out the task of governing the state since they are part of government and warned electorate against voting for people who seek to use the state for an experiment.
