The growing discontent between Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos governor and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and his erstwhile godson, Akinwunmi Ambode may be heading for a more turbulent situation as there is a threat to impeach Ambode if he does not drop his second term bid.
Already, over 50 council chairmen loyal to Bola Tinubu, his estranged godfather, have met and pledged their support to Jide Sanwonolu, who is believed to be Tinubu’s preferred choice, according to APC insiders.
The council chairmen are the most influential grassroots mobilisers under the direct primary system adopted by APC to pick governorship candidates.
Most members of the Lagos house of assembly are also loyal to Tinubu.
“Meeting is over. Ambode is out. Jide Sanwonolu is the new governor of Lagos. All 57 local government chairman have signed his form. It’s over,” the source said, though our correspondent can not independently verify this claim.
On Monday, the governor, alongside some members of his cabinet, stormed the headquarters of the APC in Abuja to get expression of interest and nomination forms for his 2019 bid.
He later told some APC members that he was not tired and needed their support to continue in office beyond 2019.
“With your support, we have made Lagos a better place and changed the face of our state. I did not do it alone; we did it together, because you believed,” he had said.
“So, I humbly call you again, to give me your support as I seek to continue with your mandate to steer the affairs of our state. I ask you to believe again and together, let’s achieve more.”
However, Sanwonolu and Obafemi Hamzat, two prominent members of the APC in Lagos, also picked the nomination forms for the governorship election of 2019.
Sanwonolu, who served as a commissioner under Babatunde Fashola, Ambode’s predecessor, is currently the managing director of Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC). He is being backed by Mandate Movement, a group fiercely loyal to Tinubu.
At a meeting held after Sanwonolu picked up his nomination form, James Odunmbaku, an ally of Tinubu known as “Baba Eto” in the political circle, said “Sanwololu is the incoming governor of Lagos.”
There have been reports of a rift between Tinubu and Ambode. When the APC leader canvassed for direct primary in Lagos, rumors were rife that Ambode was one of the targets but both men have carried on as if all is well.
Hamzat, a former commissioner in the state, is also eyeing Ambode’s seat, having failed to secure the party’s ticket in 2015.
