Lagos Governor storms Osogbo with wife to continue begging Tinubu

Embattled Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has stormed Osogbo, the Osun State capital with his wife, First Lady Bolanle Patience Ambode and an entourage; as he doubles down on peace moves with APC godfather

Tinubu is backing 53-year-old Managing Director of the Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC) Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, ahead of the Lagos APC governorship primary election.

Tinubu has reportedly fallen out with Ambode who has since acquired the N22.5million APC governorship nomination form.

APC chieftains and President Muhammadu Buhari will converge on Osogbo today, Tuesday, September 18, 2018 to campaign for governorship flagbearer in the Osun election, Mr.Gboyega Oyetola.

Down on bended knees

“Ambode arrived Osogbo with his wife, full convoy and entourage which is unusual because he’s never one to attend political rallies in the past. He doesn’t really care about rallies and has conveniently missed the APC’s many rallies,” one APC chieftain told Pulse over the phone.

Pulse has also learnt that Ambode’s task on the sidelines in Osun will be to continue pleading with Tinubu and ask other APC chieftains, including President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to beg Tinubu on his behalf.

One source told that after Tinubu and Ambode met at Jim Ovia’s book launch on Monday, Mrs. Ambode literally rolled on the floor to beg Tinubu on her husband’s behalf.

“I really don’t know whether she was trying to beg Tinubu to provide a soft landing for her husband in the event that he doesn’t get a second term ticket or beg Tinubu to back her husband instead of Sanwoolu. But like you know, The Jagaban has always told Ambode that the situation is now beyond him, that he can no longer help him at this point”, the source offered.

Preferred APC governorship candidate for Lagos, Jide Sanwoolu, has also arrived Osogbo with his own foot soldiers and supporters to counter whatever plot Ambode intends to execute, Pulse was told.

Mum is the word

Ambode's representatives have opted to say little to the media. Repeated inquiries on the current intrigues in Lagos politics have elicited no response from Alausa—the seat of government in Lagos—or from the governor’s representatives.

The Mandate Movement, the political structure which answers to Tinubu and which is headed by Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola, has openly declared its support for Sanwoolu.

All 57 local council chairmen in Lagos have also thrown their weight behind Sanwoolu.

“Ambode has no structure behind him at the moment and you can’t win a primary election in a state like Lagos without a political structure behind you. The best thing for Ambode to do now is go home or go down fighting like a man. If I were in his shoes, I’d choose the former”, said Segun Adeyemi, a political pundit.