Ambode weighing options as Lagos APC chairmen begin mobilisation for new gov

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Olasukanmi Akoni, Omeiza Ajayi and Monsuru Olowoopejo

LAGOS— GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode’s prospects of returning as governor of Lagos State were yesterday hanging on the cliff with all major political players in the state pointing at the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for direction.

Meanwhile, Ambode has relocated to his home base in Epe where he is weighing his options in the face of chorused mobilisation by the political base of the party to stop him.

With the Tinubu camp seething of rebellion by Ambode, pacifists were, however, calling on Tinubu to thread with caution, with the assertion that he could lose his place of political ascendancy in the state if the crisis with the governor was not properly managed.

Indicative of the governor’s unbalanced position, the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the party, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun said yesterday that the party and its mainstream were still waiting on Tinubu for direction in the face of what he said were three options.

The three options he cited were Ambode, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, who is the choice of Tinubu’s Mandate Group and Dr. Femi Hamzat, a loyalist of the state’s immediate past governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.
Pending a word from Tinubu, Balogun said the party would remain neutral.


I’m not threatened—Ambode

However, Ambode in a show of political fortitude yesterday submitted his nomination form, dismissing threats from political antagonists that he would do so at the risk of impeachment.

The embattled governor in his first public comment on the issue yesterday dismissed the reports of a rift between him and Tinubu. He spoke when he attended the APC’s presidential convention delegate selection exercise in Epe, Lagos.

The governor was being egged on by support by party activists from his Epe base where four Local Government Area/Development Area chairmen made a public knowledge of support for the governor’s second term bid.

His main challenger, Sanwo-Olu on his part said his candidacy was driven by the Lagos project saying his ambition “is about the Lagos we want to take to the next level.”

Besides the issue of the PSP waste disposal operators that Ambode set aside, it was also alleged that the governor’s decision to forge ahead with an independent political structure of his own had infuriated the Tinubu camp.

Adherents of the Lagos political leader were peeved that Ambode could if allowed forge ahead to displace the Tinubu machine which has controlled Lagos politics in the last 18 years.

“You never know what he can do in his second term if he is doing this in the first term. The option of allowing him to run and impeach him at the beginning of the second term is not one that should be contemplated,” a source said.

Many in the Tinubu camp it was alleged are seriously displeased with the governor over their displacement from reckoning.

Meanwhile, another source disclosed that the recent crisis rocking Alpha Beta, the Lagos State consultant on Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, surrounding its erstwhile Managing Director, Dapo Apara, was a contributory factor to the crisis.

It was perceived in some quarters that the revelations and controversy could not have arisen without being instigated by officials of the state government.

It would be recalled that Apara, had last week, taken to Twitter to churn out facts on the agency, even after petitioning Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on the alleged shenanigan perpetrated by the firm.

He added that the State Government had reduced the control of Alpha Beta after contacting a new firm to engage in financial management for the state.

As at last night, several high level interventions were said to be ongoing to smoothen the way for Ambode. The interventions were coming from royal fathers and political quarters in Abuja.

The prospects for reconciliation were, however, dimming in the consideration of some sources.


Council bosses dump Ambode

The chairman of a Local Council Development Authority, LCDA, in Lagos, told Vanguard yesterday that they have been instructed to commence mobilising grassroots support for Sanwo-Olu’s aspiration.

Noting that they have been instructed not to support Ambode, the local government boss said: “We operate as a family in Lagos, and we obey our leaders.

There is already an order that we should commence marketing Sanwo-Olu to the grassroots where power belongs. Before now, the Ambode re-election campaign had not commenced fully, but the latest development means that we are not going to work for him.

As loyal representatives of the people, who subscribe to the leadership style of our leader, we will not act contrary to the order. By this time next week, the Sanwo-Olu campaign will commence at the various councils ahead of the primaries.”

However, Ambode was basking in the support of at least four local government chairmen in his Epe axis in the state according to a press statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Mr. Habib Haruna.

The local government bosses he said had endorsed Ambode were Adedoyin Adesanya, Chairman of Epe Local Government Area; Saliu Adeniyi, Chairman of Eredo LCDA; Samson Onanuga, Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA; and Kehinde Adeniyi, party Chairman in Epe Local Government.

Nevertheless, there were still calls for caution from within Tinubu’s camp as some were also drawing the attention of the political leader to the possibility of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP exploiting the situation to win over the state.

Meanwhile, the calls for caution on the combatants was against the background of signals of still unsettled issues that arose from previous internal party nomination exercises.

“Don’t forget that many people are still unhappy because past promises of compensation for loyalty to the party are yet to be settled. These people can go anyway so if this is God’s way of containing Asiwaju you can never tell,” one senior party official told Vanguard on the condition of anonymity yesterday.


Grievances over primaries

“People are still aggrieved with the outcome of the last local government party primaries, and the idea of telling people to work for the party is not going to work this time,” a source revealed.

Even more, other party activists were calling for caution on the background of the increasing political consciousness of the non-Yoruba population in the state who it was claimed could exploit the situation to upend Tinubu’s political ascendancy in the state.

The exigency of time was, however, dawning on all concerned as it was claimed that resolving the issue immediately was of importance.

Explaining his absence and that of party executives at Ambode’s Monday declaration for a second term, Balogun, at a press conference said: ‘As a state chairman of the party, you do not expect me to be at such a gathering. We have not held a primary; we do not know the candidate yet to emerge. I am supposed to be neutral.”

Responding to questions about a possible crisis in the party, he said: “The fact is that the three people (Ambode, Jide Sanwoolu, Dr. Femi Hamzat) have obtained forms, let the party decide who emerges, that is why we are going for direct primaries.

The implication of direct primaries is that it allows all registered members, of over five million, to participate in choosing who becomes the candidate of the party, rather than the indirect that allows for only selected few who are delegates.”


No plans to impeach gov —Party chair

The party chairman also dismissed reports of a plot to impeach the governor for obtaining and submitting his form to go for a second term, saying “there is no such plan, all is about social media stunt which is uncontrolled.”

He also affirmed trust in Tinubu to successfully resolve the issue and give guidance to the party mainstream.

He said: “We have confidence in our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He has delivered on many occasions. He is a man that can be trusted and reliable.

He has been directing the party aright towards progress and victories. What else do you expect from a leader? He has been a stabilizing force that is why we abide by most of his decisions.

For our party, he has been a pathfinder. Because of Tinubu’s singular efforts, APC has been able to expand since the days of AD, ACN, to date. So, wherever is going, we follow.”

Also, a source close to the governor, last night, said the matter would be resolved in the next 48 hours. According to the source, the horse-trading is “the normal half-time negotiation.”


Ambode dismisses rift with Tinubu

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, in a statement, yesterday, quoted the governor as dismissing the reports of a rift with Tinubu.

Ambode, while addressing party faithful in Epe during the election of delegates for the Presidential primary was quoted as saying: “I want you to know that there is no fight anywhere. The National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my good self are not in any fight, we are not in any controversy.

“We are praying to God that the best is yet to come and the best will be what Lagos State deserves and I want you to just continue with your prayers that at this time, God will show His hand and make sure that everything that is of blessing to Lagos State and also blessing of Epe will come to pass.”

At the event which was held at APC’s Secretariat in Aiyetoro, Epe, Alhaji Shakiru Seriki (Bamu), Otunba Bode Alausa and Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, the State’ Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, were elected as national delegates from Epe division which comprises one Local Government Area (Epe) and two Local Council Development Areas (Eredo and Ikosi-Ejirin).

Aruna also said that youths in the division staged a peaceful protest displaying placards of various inscriptions to affirm their support for the governor’s second term bid.


Why I want Ambode’s job—Sanwo-Olu

Meanwhile, Sanwoolu at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday said his aspiration was a dream to project the interest of Lagos.

Speaking at the national secretariat of the APC where he went to submit his nomination form yesterday, he said: “I am 53 years myself. There is no doubt that things would be said here and there.

The man that is standing in front of you, a fully grown-man with several years of experience, like I said, it is about the Lagos of our dream, it is about the Lagos we want to take to the next level.

“I think it has nothing to do with our leader and there is no denial that he is our national leader and he takes the back position not only in the State but at the national and you know he has interest in the well-being and improvement of Nigeria’s dream.”

When asked whether he would feel betrayed if he were in Ambode’s shoes, he said: “The truth is, I am not in his shoes.

But the truth of the matter is, what has been generating issue about me is a reflection of how people have come to understand the person I am.”


Otedola yet to get PDP normination form

Meanwhile, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Diran Odeyemi, yesterday disclosed that Mr. Femi Otedola had not purchased any form for the governorship race.

“Mr. Otedola has not bought any form and neither has anyone bought forms for him,” he said.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/tinubu-has-final-say-on-next-lagos-gov-apc/

Does APC really have anything good to offer?

Forget this confused party and their thieving godfathers



Otedola is the man to end the thievenubu dynasty


Vote for otedola for the transformation of Lagos State

Ambode use this small opportunity wey remain for you
loot Your Own o

cc lalasticlala.....


we see as tinubu will hand over Lagos to PDP with this power play

By the time the man sleep no wake up again before even the primaries (not wishing him death o), that's when you all will realise you have been huge fools all along propping and treating a fellow man as God.

Mumu people wey go waste money for school but lack simple common sense.

We say no to paper certifications and qualifications without common sense, which is usually not common ironically.

''Center of excellence inside Tinubu's agbada''

If I were your wives or kids, you had better not even try commanding or scolding me at home if not, you go die well for my mouth.
I go tell you say I go call Tinubu for you if you Bleep up. I go run go hide after i don tell you word make you no use anger beat me die..I do am well well when I small to some big brother and aunty dem wey sabi give me konk for head.

Olodos, will go home and be forming bosses to their wives and kids, whereas na who God create, wey dem born like dem be their god outside. Spineless educated illiterates.

I like Tinubu joor, this is one of the benefits of reading and teaching yourself. Materials abound to teach the willings how he got such a clout and control over these ignorant ones.

I will be like him when I grow up...lol

Enjoy my siggy

"Also, a source close to the governor, last night, said the matter would be resolved in the next 48 hours. According to the source, the horse-trading is “the normal half-time negotiation.”


Who saw this?

"Normal half-time negotiations"............ Hmmmmm

money yaf finish oooooo

We yoruba people are just pretending to love democracy. We are not democrats, we are just as feudalists as the gambari. Kai!

How can just ONE man determine who becomes gomina in lagos with millions of yoruba people? What is the essence of election then? Where is the so-called sophistication?

Ambode should go and obtain his governorship form from other political party like pdp.

Why does he? Our baba soope mentality, needs to be macerated........

All these show that whoever is the governor of Lagos is just a mere stooge, to be pushed away anytime a certain man feels like.

Ambode is in power and thus has the capacity to shake the table in Lagos politics.

You can't just treat him as a non-entity.

So our votes don't count right?

This is serious

tinubu is afriad of losing hold of Lagos, hence to replaced the governor with another servant. he has lost almost all the control of south west already. everything has an end you know.

Nigerian politics almost always not for the interest of "populism," the best way is for us all to live our dear lives as "Sovereign Individuals". Am a Sovereign Individual! I decide my direction and focus on it, I carved my economic niche and now building it gradually to an empire from my station through a paradigm shifting " populist " technology that vested power to the common man without the influence n control of the Nigerian government and institutions.

I live in Nigeria, but am without borders, therefore am a world citizen as a sovereign individual. Long I lost hope on the government. Yes I rule my own world without borders and without the influence of the political establishment, Nigerian gimmicking politics, politicking and Politocracy.

We just have to be "Holistically unconventional". Sooner or later, government and its politics will realize how less relevant they have become, as billions of people would have embraced this populist technology and break their way to freedom from current political headaches to digital Democracy.

dhardline:
So our votes don't count right?

Unfortunately and we have many slowpoke supporters believing this

fineboynl:
tinubu is afriad of losing hold of Lagos

Because he knows his chop chop, would end..... And I hope power changes party, and they do to him, what Ajimobi did to Aiyefele (all lagos state property's he has converted, must be returned to the state).....

Thieves

Is God that has the final say

Ok

which kind nonsense talk be this , is he God ?

gggghh

What a shame. Babajide Otitoju will be asked to defend his master's position on journalists hangout and some zombies will hail him. Lagos is a one man's city

Fashola will be like: I no tell you!

One man has the final say on who rules 20m people? Even the illiterate north doesn't follow sheepishly like this. Yorubas should wake up abeg

What nonsense! So Tinubu have become the electorate that can decide who governs or not.