Dalung said this when he led a delegation from the World Para-Powerlifting Federation on a courtesy visit to Ambode at the Lagos House in Ikeja during the week.
Dalung said the appointment was in recognition of the massive investment and commitment to sports development which the governor had exhibited in the last three years. Dalung praised Ambode for repositioning sports as a catalyst for development and growth in the state.
“I want to inform you that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved you as one of the members of the Federal Government delegation that would be leading and representing him and other Nigerians in Russia at the World Cup,” Dalung was quoted as saying in a statement by Chief Press Secretary to Ambode, Habib Aruna.
“The President’s approval of you as a member of that delegation is borne out of the conviction that you have been one of the governors that have invested heavily in sports and also supported sports.”
Dalung said the delegation from the WPPF led by Sam Munkley was at Lagos House as part of the bid by Nigeria to host the World Powerlifting Championships in Lagos in 2019.
Ambode thanked the President for appointing him into the FG’s delegation to the World Cup, saying that with the morale and physical support for the Super Eagles, Nigerians would be made proud in Russia.
He said, “With our morale and physical support, Nigerians would be made proud and I am sure people should not bother about what they are seeing with the friendly matches; they are supposed to be friendlies and I am sure the team will put all their energy and make Nigeria proud.”
The governor said the state government would support the Nigeria Powerlifting Federation to ensure that the country got the hosting right for the world championships.
“Lagos State is ready and committed to host the championship. We have done so much in the area of sports and also sports for people with disabilities and this is part of our overall vision to use sports to develop the city itself,” he said.
“There is so much construction going on and this is also part of that whole concept to create the enabling environment to allow people to move easily and also create a platform for tourism as well as use sports as a means of building that bonding that we really need.”
