Ambode's 2nd term ambition suffers another blow as 57 Lagos council Vice Chairmen endorse aspirant

Vice-Chairmen of all 57 council areas in Lagos State have endorsed Jide Sanwo-Olu as the preferred governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the partys primary election.

This is expected to pile more pressure on incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, as he battles to save a second term bid amid opposition from within his own party.

At a parley organised by the Pillar 57 under the leadership of the vice chairman of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Princess Bolanle Bada, the vice-chairmen promised to work to make sure Sanwo-Olu clinches the party's ticket ahead of Ambode at its primary election scheduled for Saturday, September 29, 2018.

Bada said Pillar 57 can be relied on to support Sanwo-Olu, a former Lagos commissioner, to become its next governor. She said Governor Ambode deserted council officials after his electoral victory in 2015 and made life difficult for them.

Vice Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Honorable Princess Folashade Oba, also promised Pillar 57's support for Sanwo-Olu.

She said, "We are dependable; we are reliable and we are trust-worthy. You always can count on us. We agree that the party is supreme, we are going to where the party is going."

Ambode has been running from pillar to post over the past few days after the APC's national leader and political godfather in Lagos, Bola Tinubu, reportedly endorsed Sanwo-Olu to become the next Lagos governor over Ambode, just years after he endorsed the incumbent.

Tinubu's political structure in Lagos, Mandate Movement, as well as all 57 local councils in the state have endorsed Sanwooluahead of the governorship primary election.

Leaders of Mandate Group and the Director-General of Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu Campaign Organisation (BOSCO), Tayo Ayinde, were in attendance at the parley that took place at Water Crest Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ayinde promised that Sanwo-Olu would run an all-inclusive government if he wins the party's ticket and the state's 2019 governorship election.

Ambode has been trying to get back in Tinubu's good graces to regain his backing but all efforts so far appear to have failed as he met with President Muhammadu Buhari last week in a last ditch attempt to save his re-election bid.