APC mounts pressure on Lagos Governor to endorse Sanwoolu or be disgraced at 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 and chieftains of the party in Lagos.

Sanwoolu, who served as Commissioner in the Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fashola administrations 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 a chieftain of Lagos APC told Pulse on condition of anonymity.

Babajide Sanwoolu declared for Lagos governorship on the APC platform on Sunday, September 16, 2018 ece-auto-gen

All the 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 formas 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 told Pulse that Ambode became too arrogant for his own good and insulted stakeholders of the party at will.

“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 and other bosses of our party”, said one source.

Ambode picks up his N22.5million nomination form on Monday, September 10, 2018 ece-auto-gen

Within the APC in Lagos, Ambode is now regarded as a pariah, Pulse was told.

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 seaton Sunday, September 16, 2018; while promising to fix mounting filth, perennial traffic gridlock and chaos in Nigeria’s commercial capital.