As Ambode Defies Party, Demands Direct Primary
By ‘Dotun Akintomide
In its determination to deny Governor Akinwunmi Ambode a second term in office, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos has asked the Governor to back the emergence of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019.
To further woo Ambode and convince him to take the decision, the party, it was gathered has promised him a ministerial appointment in 2019 should he drop his ambition.
Ambode’s top challenger, Sanwo-Olu came into reckoning in Lagos politics after he obtained the state governorship form last Tuesday and immediately got the backing of the Mandate Movement in the Lagos APC led by the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who installed Ambode in 2015.
Tinubu had refused to back Ambode’s second term ambition despite pleas by notable people in the state and the country and it learnt that the chairmen of the 57 councils had also declared support for Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu, a former commissioner in the state, on Sunday formally declared his intention to vie 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.
Notable APC leaders in the state, who were either allies of Tinubu or his followers, were at the declaration.
On Monday, Ambode’s wife, Bolanle had tried to save her husband’s job when she met with Tinubu in Osun State and tried to pacify him to change his mind. The meeting did not yield positive result.
It was gathered that both 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.
The embattled governor, however, told them that he would prefer to go ahead with the direct primary option of the party in the state.
A source said, “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.”
Futhermore, it was learnt on Wednesday that Ambode had instructed his camp not to speak to any journalist and wait for the electoral process to pan out.
“We told him that he might likely lose if he decided not to fight back, but he just smiled,” another source said.
However, it was gathered that the state APC leaders were still insisting that Ambode must go as of Wednesday evening.
Also, it was gathered that the meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council, the APC’s highest advisory political organ, which held in Lagos, did not discuss Ambode’s issue.
It was gathered that the body was supposed to advise the party on the choice between Ambode and Sanwo-Olu and its implication for the party.
There had been reports that the verdict of the body would seal the fate of both Ambode and Sanwo-Olu.
A source said the meeting merely took briefing on the three aspirants – Ambode, Sanwo-Olu and Dr Femi Hamzat – and later discussed Osun State governorship election.
The body was also said to have advised the party to shift the primary to September 29, 2018, instead of the September 25 it planned to hold the primary.
The source said, “Asiwaju, the governor, as well as the two other aspirants were not present at the meeting. A briefing on the profile of the aspirants was taken and advice was given that the primary be shifted to September 29.
“The body will meet again on Saturday when members will discuss more on the aspirants,” the source said.
