Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has debunked the rumour of a rift between him and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
A statement issued on Thursday to that effect said: “The attention of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, has been drawn to some reports making the rounds in some online media platforms and blogs, insinuating that there is a rift between Governor Sanwo-Olu and his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
“We wish to state clearly that this is not true. In fact, it is the direct opposite of the relationship that exists between the two leaders.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Governor Sanwo-Olu enjoy a very cordial brotherly relationship.
“The two brother-governors meet regularly and speak with each other frequently on matters of mutual interest for the development of their respective states. This is partly because their states share common boundaries and are also bound together by socio-cultural norms.
“We, therefore, would like to advise those seeking to plant a seed of discord between the two leaders with fake news to desist forthwith, as both Prince Dapo Abiodun and Mr Sanwo-Olu are bound by a common vision to make life more abundant for their respective people.”
In other news, Sanwo-Olu last week confirmed that eight people died in the fire that engulfed the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Christmas Eve, and ordered decisive measures, including the demolition of unsafe structures in the vicinity.
The governor made the statement during an on-the-spot assessment of the fire-ravaged building, nine days after the inferno, with pockets of fire still visible at the site. He said 13 people were rescued alive from the building, while search and recovery operations had confirmed eight fatalities.
Sanwo-Olu, who described the incident as tragic and deeply painful, led members of his entourage in observing a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives. He attributed the outbreak of the fire to human error and stressed the need for stricter compliance with safety regulations in commercial and residential buildings across the state.
The governor, who disclosed that several adjoining structures along Martins, Shitta and Breadfruit streets were affected by the fire, said multiple generators were found on different floors of nearby shopping plazas, noting that such unsafe practices significantly increase fire risks and endanger lives.
According to him, the government will not hesitate to take tough decisions, including the demolition of any structure that fails integrity tests after thorough technical assessments.
