Ambode meets Sanwo-Olu to discuss Lagos future 5 years after leaving office

Former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has paid a courtesy visit to his successor, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House in Ikeja, five years after he left office.

In a tweet on Monday, August 12, 2024, Sanwo-Olu said Ambode visited him to discuss the future of the state and “build a solid foundation already in place.”

The governor also shared two photos of himself and Ambode posing for the camera and shaking hands.

Sanw-Olu tweeted, “Today, I welcomed my brother and predecessor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, back to Lagos House on a courtesy visit. Our conversation centred around the future of Lagos and building on the solid foundation already in place. I value his perspective as we all work together to ensure that Lagos remains on the path of growth and development.”

The visit indicated that the political rift between Ambode and Sanwo-Olu has been settled.

Ambode has stayed away from Sanwo-Olu's government and Lagos politics since the end of his one-term administration in May 2019.

How they fell apart

It would be recalled that in September 2018, during the build-up to the 2019 election, Ambode organised a press conference to call out Sanwo-Olu, his prime opponent ahead of the 2019 governorship election.

Akinwunmi Ambode speaking during the press conference in which he called out his main opponent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ahead of the 2019 election. [TheCable] Pulse Nigeria

In his speech, he referenced some integrity issues on Sanwo-Olu's part when he said his challenger had at some point been arrested in the US for spending fake American dollars in a nightclub.

Ambode also questioned Sanwo-Olu’s competence when he informed his audience that the latter had undergone rehabilitation at the Gbagada Hospital.

Despite Ambode's conference, Sanwo-Olu defeated him in the Lagos All Progressives Congress primary election in October 2018, with over 800,000 votes.