APC mounts pressure on Lagos Governor to endorse Sanwoolu or be disgraced at primary election

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

The Lagos chapter of the APC is mounting pressure on Gov Ambode to endorse his challenger Sanwoolu or risk being disgraced at the primary election.

Key stakeholders of the governing APC in Lagos are mounting enormous pressure on Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to drop out of the governorship race, endorse Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu as the party’s flagbearer ahead of the 2019 general poll, or risk disgrace at the primary election.

Ambode has fallen out of favour with APC godfather Bola Ahmed Tinubu and chieftains of the party in Lagos.

Sanwoolu, who served as Commissioner in the Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fasholaadministrations respectively, has emerged favorite to nick the Lagos APC governorship ticket at the primary exercise slated for Saturday, September 29, 2018.

“We have told him (Ambode) to endorse Sanwoolu now that there is still time or be disgraced during the primary election. It’s his choice to make at the moment. If he doesn't step aside, he may come third at the end of the primary behind Obafemi Hamzat", a chieftain of Lagos APC told Pulse on condition of anonymity.

All the 57 local council bosses in Lagos have since endorsed Sanwoolu to unseat Ambode. Tinubu's grassroot group, Mandate Movement, has also thrown its weight behind Sanwoolu.

Ambode had purchased the N22.5 million governorship nomination form as he aims for a second term in office as leader of Nigeria’s commercial capital.

'The ship has sailed'

“Everybody has left him now. I mean everyone that matters has abandoned the Ambode ship as we speak. Even his commissioners have deserted him. If he’s smart enough, he will realize that the ship has sailed and throw in the towel while there’s still time”, our source added.

Two other chieftains of the APC said that Ambode became too arrogant for his own good and insulted stakeholders of the party at will.

Jide Sanwoolu declares to run for Governor of Lagos

“Imagine a governor who started calling Lagos money ‘my money’. None of us could reach him anymore. He refused to give us his phone numbers. The man became too arrogant. He even insulted Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Tinubu and other bosses of our party”, said one 

Within the APC in Lagos, Ambode is now regarded as a pariah, we are informed .

We could not independently verify the claims from some of these chieftains, however. Chief Press Secretary to Gov Ambode, Abib Haruna and Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Kehinde Bamigbetan, weren't immediately available for comments. Calls placed to their mobile returned unanswered.

A phone call from the church

When General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, rang Tinubu to intercede for Ambode, Tinubu told him there was nothing he could do at this point because the matter was now beyond him.

“Sir, people have been accusing me of imposition. They say I imposed candidates at will”, Tinubu reportedly told Adeboye in excerpts of the phone conversation made available to Pulse from Bourdillon—Tinubu’s famous home address. “That is why I said all aspirants including the governor should get to the field and test their popularity among the people in an open contest of direct primaries.

“Sir, my hands are tied on this matter. I cannot ask those who have picked expression of interest and nomination forms to withdraw or not contest. That will be greatly unfair. We will ensure a level playing field for all aspirants including the incumbent governor”, Tinubu reportedly told the preacher.

A rift denied

Ambode had earlier said there was no rift between Tinubu and himself.

“I want you to know that there is no fight anywhere. The National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my good self, we 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 will come to pass”,Ambode said.

Sanwoolu formally declared for the Lagos governorship seat on Sunday, September 16, 2018; while promising to fix mounting filth, perennial traffic gridlock and chaos in Nigeria’s commercial capital.