President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, as a member of the Federal Government delegation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting in Russia from June 14.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, said this when he led a delegation from the International Paralympics Committee on a courtesy visit to the governor at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.

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.

He said Lagos had been home to sports, and that it was gratifying that Governor Ambode had repositioned sports as a catalyst for development and growth in the State.

Dalung said, “Your Excellency, 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.

“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.

“Lagos is home to sports and so we are always here. We are always here because of the very friendly environment and a good relationship the Ministry enjoys with the Lagos State Government and the fraternity of the government and people of Lagos is one of the major reasons why we will often visit the Governor when the occasion demands,” Dalung said.

Responding, Ambode thanked President Buhari for appointing him into FG’s delegation to the World Cup, saying that with the morale and physical support for the Super Eagles, Nigerians would be made proud at the end of the day.

“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.