As the political saga within the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) continues to play out, most of the APC leaders in the state have abandoned incumbent governor Akinwunmi Ambode to back his major rival within the party Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu for the governorship.
This follows the meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos on Saturday night where it resolved that the chapter must hold its primary to determine its governorship candidate.
The decision by the council finally puts to rest all insinuation that leaders of the APC in Lagos may decide to make a u-turn and support Ambode for a second term instead of Sanwo – Olu; that ship has now sailed as Ambode has been left to slug it out with his rival in direct primaries to be organised by the party.
Ambode’s main rival who is a former Commissioner for Training and Establishment in the state, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu has the backing of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as well as the 57 local government chairmen in the state. Another former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Dr Obafemi Hamzat is also challenging Ambode for his job.
Although it had been largely expected that the GAC would clear the way for Ambode to actualize his second term ambition by telling other contestants to step down for the governor, it was a hope in futility as the party leaders insisted that Ambode must go through the primary with others.
A source who pleaded for anonymity said;
“We met and deliberated extensively on the governor’s second term bid and our forthcoming primary and after the deliberations we resolved that the party should hold the primary to pick it’s candidate because that is just the right thing to do.
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We are a democratic party that believes so much in internal democracy so we think we should allow everyone to sell themselves to members who will eventually determine their choices.”
Commenting on the matter, the Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Tunde Balogun told newsmen that although he had been present at the meeting, he was not authorised to speak on the outcome to the press.
His words;
“Yes,the GAC met today and made some decisions, but I will not speak on the outcome because I have not been asked to do so.
Chief Abayomi Finnih would address the press on Monday on the outcome. He has been appointed and he will give you all the details.”
Governor Ambode it would now seem has been thrown in the gauntlet to fight for his job without the massive support he enjoyed to become governor in 2015.
Many of the people who supported him then are now actively against him because according to them he didn’t treat them properly despite helping him to win the election in 2015 against all odds.