The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode has emerged the winner in a keenly contested online poll conducted by the African Leadership Magazine UK. Mr. Ambode polled 37.2% of the total votes cast to emerge Nigeria’s best performing Governor.
Mr. Ambode is closely trailed by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike with 29%; while Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state secured 18% of total vote casts to maintain a spot in the third place.
In the fourth place is Delta State Governor, Patrick Okowa with 13%; and Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state sits in the fifth position with 5% of vote casts. The Good Governance Poll, which ended on Wednesday 3rd, 2016, by 2:pm, Nigerian time, was initiated by the African Leadership Magazine UK, in line with the magazine’s objective of providing credible information and support to leaders in Nigeria and Africa at large.
The Poll is part of the group’s strategic engagement tool designed to monitor performance, gauge the mood of the electorates, promote good governance, as well as engender peer review mechanisms amongst leaders in Nigeria and Africa at large. The Good Governance Poll is particularly important in Nigeria, following the country’s prevailing realities; while some Governors in the country have been unable to meet their obligation to the electorates, others have been ingenious in managing state resources and also making concerted efforts towards shoring up their IGR. These States Chief Executives deserve to be celebrated.
The Publisher, Dr. ken Giami , in announcing the winners of the Good Governance Poll, stated that “African Leadership Magazine leverages its robust offline and online engagements – with about 2.2 Million daily online post reaches and over 400,000 Monthly magazine circulation to promote purposeful leadership and actively engage leaders for the greater good of the citizenry.”
He also maintained that “Mr. Ambode’s emergence as the winner of the polls is a clear indication, that more Nigerians are increasingly becoming aware of his strides in Lagos State, which is quite commendable.” One of those polled noted that “Akinwunmi Ambode came to power with his blue-print for the greater development of Lagos State which he has since then pursued with precision. His pursuit of 24-hour economic mechanism, when attained, would propel revenue generation for Lagos State in ways unmatchable by any other state in Africa.”
The online poll which commenced on the 5th of July 2016 attracted Nigerians from all works of life voting to select the country’s top 5 Best Performing Governors in the country. The Winners of the Poll will be formally decorated with the prestigious African Leadership Excellence Award as Best Performing Governor, during the International Forum on African Leadership, billed to hold at the Waldorf Astoria, New York on the 22 September 20016, by 11.00am-3.00pm.
The winners would also be presented with endorsement from various US State’s and non-state actors, and hosted to Investment & Partnership discussions on the side-lines of the event. This is no doubt a further validation and commendation for the good work they have been doing in Nigeria and the continent and the hope they represent for the future of Nigeria – in spite of the monumental challenges being faced by the country today.
