Lagos State, the commercial hub of Nigeria is tense. Former governor of the state, Senator Bola Tinubu has lost confidence in the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and would not want him for a second term in office. It is obvious even though he has said so little about the imbroglio. But he has a substitute in Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
That decision is infamous in Ambode’s camp who on Sunday said his only opponent for the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship ticket, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was not credible. As it stands in Lagos State as we speak, the substitute candidate, Sanwo-Olu, it is gathered has the backing of the powerful Mandate Movement on the Lagos APC and that of Tinubu, the National Leader of the party.
In a no holds barred explosive address lashed out for the first time since his rift with Tinubu, his political godfather, referring to Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu’s choice was not fit and proper to assume public office let alone occupy the office as Lagos State governor, which he desperately wants for another term. Speaking at a world press conference at the Lagos House, Ikeja, Ambode claimed that Sanwo-Olu was once arrested for allegedly spending fake dollars in the United States of America.
As if that was not enough bombshell, Abode further disclosed that the substitute candidate was once a patient at the Gbagada General Hospital, where he had gone for rehabilitation. In the words of the governor, “The aspirant (Sanwo-Olu) that has been put up to contest against us is not a fit and proper person to take this job. This particular aspirant is somebody that has been arrested for spending fake dollars in a nightclub in America, and was detained for months. It is also known that he doesn’t have the competence to do what he is being propelled to do. This is somebody that has gone for rehabilitation before. The records are there at the Gbagada General Hospital.”
In continuation, Ambode stated, “We don’t want to go too far; we don’t want to talk about all the things that we know; but what we want is for our leadership to have a rethink because the truth is this, I will not stand here on the mandate of Lagosians and allow our great party APC to put in somebody that the opposition will easily take out because of lack of credibility.”
