Lagos: ‘Enemies’ Move To Stop Ambode’s Ministerial Nomination

A media campaign to instigate public consciousness against the nomination of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as a minister is set to be launched by political interests determined to thwart the political profile of the immediate past governor of Lagos State.

Lagos State was in the last dispensation represented by the penultimate governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The alleged bid to nominate Ambode as minister, GWG learnt, is without consequence to the nomination of Fashola for another term. This is because the presidency is believed to be considering giving him the zonal slot that is meant for the Southwest.

Opposition to Ambode’s nomination as a minister it was gathered is coming from varied interests. Among those who are opposed to him are the same interests who caused him to become the first civilian governor of the state to be stopped from obtaining his party’s second term ticket.

Other less consequential factors in the state also believe that he may not have performed well as governor given the spate of abandoned projects in the state as reflected in his failure to solve the crisis in the Mile 2 – Apapa road menace and the Mile 2 – Badagry highway that under his stewardship deteriorated to its worst state in history.

However, the real opposition to Ambode it was learnt is coming from the same forces who stopped his second term aspiration as governor. These forces in the All Progressives Congress, APC believe that rewarding him as governor would further embolden him to fight the caucus as led by the political leader of the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Having Ambode in the cabinet in addition to Fashola it was learnt may be a nut to hard for the political leaders of Lagos to chew.

Though Ambode and Fashola walk along parallel political lines, the prospect of having two former governors who are not particularly controlled by Tinubu in the cabinet is said to be an issue that the leaders are not ready to stomach.  

Tinubu and Fashola are believed to have partially reconciled during the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship primaries last year. Fashola’s key ally, Dr. Babafemi Hamzat stepped down for Tinubu’s main man, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and became the deputy governor of the state.

However, the reconciliation it is said is not enough to guarantee having the two former governors in the cabinet and interest groups believe that stopping Ambode is a more worthwhile prospect.

However, justification for the nomination of the immediate past governor as a minister are varied with some sources in Lagos saying that he contributed significantly in financial terms to the APC’s presidential campaign.

“We hear that he contributed a lot and that this is the only way they can reward him,” a source with remote familiarity to the development opined.

Other sources have alleged that empowering Ambode could be a way of emboldening the opposition to Tinubu by those who are aligned against his perceived 2023 presidential aspiration.

Whatever it is, it was learnt that Ambode’s political enemies are set to launch the first move with a media campaign to put his record on the spot.

“They are about to launch a campaign against him and very soon you will start seeing media salvos directed at why he cannot be a minister,” a source informed GWG.

“The media campaign is also targeted on failures of Ambode’s administration and disregard to party leaders and supremacy and high-handedness,” the source elaborated.

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