Ambode Weighs Options as Efforts to Secure Tinubu’s Support Fail

As it becomes more obvious that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, will not change his mind on his decision not to support Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second term of office ambition, the embattled governor is weighing his options and will soon make his next move public, THISDAY learnt last night.

Although Tinubu has not spoken publicly about his reported opposition to Ambode’s ambition, his political foot soldiers, massed in the Mandate Movement, the same group that facilitated the governor’s ride to power in 2015, have publicly declared their support for the Managing Director of Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Sanwo-Olu formally launched his intention to take over Ambode’s job on Sunday at a huge gathering at the Lagos City Hall with the major stakeholders of the Lagos APC, including local government and development councils’ chairmen in attendance, signifying the breakdown of negotiations with Tinubu by peace makers, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to save the governor’s job.

Even as his aides kept hope alive last night, saying further discussions were on in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, where the party’s regional and national leaders have assembled to hold a final rally for APC’s governorship candidate in next Saturday’s election, Chief Gboyega Oyetola, Ambode is said to be weighing the options available to him.

The options, according to his close aides, who spoke to THISDAY yesterday on condition of anonymity, are, step down because without Tinubu’s support, he has no other structure with which to fight; join another party as proposed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and fight at the state nomination congress slated for Monday and go down like a man.

THISDAY, September 18, 2018

 

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