Reports have emerged that leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos alongside a national leader of the party, Asiwaju, Bola Ahmed Tinubu are mounting pressure on the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode not to run for a second term and endorse his opponent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu a former commissioner in Lagos state has the backing of the Mandate Group within the APC led by Tinubu who was instrumental in the emergence of Ambode as Lagos state Governor.
News had been rife in the Nigerian media about a rift between Tinubu and Ambode regarding the political future of the latter in the state even as it was reported that Ambode did not have Tinubu’s blessing to run for a second term.
After having a lengthy meeting with Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence, news had filtered that Tinubu might be considering backing Ambode for a second term afterall; the news nearly triggered a crisis however as the 57 chairmen of the local state council threatened to go against Tinubu’s wishes should he chose to back Ambode.
This prompted Tinubu to back pedal despite pleas and intervention of notable Nigerians on behalf of the Lagos state governor; including the first lady Bolanle Ambode who had tried to save her husband’s job.
Sanwo-Olu, formally declared his intention to run for the Lagos State governorship ticket of the APC, promising to restore the glory of the state when he was voted in as the governor.
He made the declaration in the company of notable APC leaders in the state, who were either allies of Tinubu or his followers.
The state and national leaders of the party met on Wednesday and mounted pressure on the Lagos governor to accept the decision of the state party leaders and step down for Sanwo-Olu.
The governor however declined the offer, telling the leaders that he would try his luck with the direct primary option of the party in the state.
An APC source disclosed that;
“Ambode was told to step down and forget his second term ambition. He was told to publicly endorse Sanwo-Olu as his successor. He was promised a ministerial appointment after the APC might have won the presidential election. He was even told to pick a ministry of his choice.
But Ambode seemed not to be pleased with the directives of the leaders as he declined the ministerial dangle. He also told them to allow the APC primary process to continue as planned. For now, the meeting is still continuing and there is no compromise in sight.”
Governor Ambode had also allegedly warned his loyalists within the APC not to speak out to journalists or intervene in the matter.
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Despite this order however, some residents of Lagos State took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against Tinubu’s refusal to back Ambode for a second term.
The protesters, who gathered at the secretariat of the Ikeja Local Government Area, said the incumbent governor deserved an automatic ticket because of his infrastructural development projects.
One of the protesters said;
“Tinubu should not use politics to spoil the development going on in Lagos. Ambode has done enough to get a second term.”