2019 LAGOS: Ambode Flies To Abuja To Beg Tinubu

The confusion over the reelection bid of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, failed to clear off on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress national leadership could not secure a firm commitment from its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on governor’s second term ambition.

The APC leaders, led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who were said to be acting on the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, met with Tinubu again to prevail on him to “forgive” Ambode his alleged infractions and back the governor to secure a second term.

A source close to the national secretariat of the party, however, told us that the effort of the leaders could not be said to have resolved the situation as Tinubu did not give Osinbajo and Oshiomhole any specific promise of supporting Ambode for a second term.

The source stated, “The President asked the vice-president and the national chairman to resolve the crisis amicably so that the governor could get a second term. Osinbajo met Tinubu twice in Abuja on Friday on Ambode’s matter, where he relayed the President’s message and the need to keep Lagos for the APC.

He also told Asiwaju the President would not want the crisis to affect the party in the 2019 general elections.

“The National Leader, however, maintained that there would be wider consultations back home before he would be able to accede to the request. He said the governor’s matter is beyond him alone.

“It is difficult to say what happened during the second meeting with Osinbajo but it appeared the vice-president and Tinubu were able to arrive at a meeting point, which is difficult to clarify.”

It was gathered that Buhari’s foremost concern was that the crisis in Lagos State, which boasts of the highest number of registered voters, if not well-managed, could affect his political calculations for his second term bid.

We gathered that as the APC leaders battled to save the embattled governor’s second term ambition, Ambode landed in Tinubu’s house in Abuja, where the governor appealed to the former Lagos State governor to forgive him his alleged offences.

Another very reliable party source said, “Yes, it was part of the efforts we are making from this end to save the party from crisis in the state and the nation. The governor came to beg Tinubu in his residence in Abuja to forgive him.

I think the appeal helped to reduce the tension and soften the ground for the governor. It is, however, difficult to say if that had ended the crisis.

“Some governors have also called the national leader, pleading with him to save their ‘poster boy’ the humiliation of not getting a second term. Their fears are that such development in Lagos, which is the economic nerve centre of the country, could have negative effect on the fortunes of the party in other states.”

A source in the camp of the Lagos ex-governor, who spoke to us on Saturday, confirmed the meeting between Tinubu and his political godson in Abuja.

“Yes, the meeting held. He (Ambode) saw Asiwaju in Abuja but I cannot give you any detail,” he said.