Billionaire businessman and Managing Director of Forte Oil, Chief Femi Otedola on Sunday predicted that Lagos State will become the third largest economy in Africa at the expiration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure.

In a statement titled “Ambode Has Done Overwhelmingly Well’’, Otedola said given the governor’s stellar performance so far, the state will move up from its current fifth position among Africa’s largest economies.

Otedola, who hails from Epe and is the son of Third Republic governor of Lagos State, the late Chief Michael Otedola, canvassed support for the re-election of Governor Ambode so as to enable him continue with the commendable work he is doing based on the foundations laid down by his predecessors.

“As a Lagosian and Omo Ibile, I wish to expressly commend and appreciate the great good work that our amiable Governor, Ambode is doing in our dear Lagos – Nigeria’s number one state. I have watched and followed keenly in the last three years, the brilliant transformation projects across the state.

“No doubt, Ambode is building on the foundations laid by his good predecessors. He is building roads and bridges, schools and hospitals, water treatment plants, sewage and storm water drainages, solid waste management plants and mass transportation infracstructure.

“He has recently gotten approved the electricity power infrastructure for Lagos, which when fully executed, will make Lagos State almost energy dependent in Nigeria. You are all aware of the newly acquired mass transit buses that are going to be natural gas – powered in order for us in Lagos to be the first to comply with the global climate agenda of de-carbonisation.

“Clean and Smart Lagos will take us into the modern global village and make us the number three economy in Africa,” Otedola said.

He further lauded the governor for spearheading the modernizing of the Lagos State bureaucracy process which he said would re-engineer the state for higher and more efficient performances.

He therefore recommended Governor Ambode for a second term, an endorsement which he said was not based on the usual conventional charades of endorsements in Nigeria but to enable him continue with the passionate work of transforming the state.