Proxy Fight For Lagos: Ambode Rolls Out Plan Against Tinubu

By Augustine Adah

As the governorship primaries of All Progressives Congress, (APC) approaches, Wale Oluwo, an associate of the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has submitted his nomination form vowing to fight off Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to clinch the party’s ticket.

However, eyes are focused on what many stakeholders see as a proxy fight between Ambode and his erstwhile political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who is the backbone of Sanwo-Olu, the object of the plot being weaved by Olowu and his godfather, Ambode.

Oluwo, who was the chairman of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Organisation,  served as the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources during Ambode’s tenure as governor.

Oluwo who spoke to the press on Thursday said that the contest under APC so far is between Governor Sanwo-Olu and himself.

The APC aspirant who disclosed that the form he submitted was for himself and not for Ambode explained that he wouldn’t be in position to speak about the political ambition of the former governor when the issue came up during the media interaction.   

Recall, the Governor’s Advisory Council, (GAC) the highest decision-making organ of the party headed by APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu, had in April endorsed Sanwo-Olu for second term in 2023

But the Ambode political camp in Lagos State has consistently come out to fight against the imposition of candidates, saying neither GAC nor Tinubu has such powers. The GAC it would be recalled had also in 2018 endorsed Sanwo-Olu against Ambode’s bid for a second term.

Several groups within the party have also kicked against the role of the group in deciding who emerges as governor of the State of Excellence.

Last December, a major bloc within the Lagos APC family, Lagos4Lagos pulled out of the party and joined the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) after decrying the level of imposition of candidates in the ruling party.

The Lead Visioner of the group, Olajide Adediran, had said APC does not have a level playing ground.

While endorsing Sanwo-Olu for second term, the former governor of Lagos State who is also a presidential aspirant in the ruling APC  advised those interested in the governorship position of the state or other elective offices  to go and obtain their forms.

 He further stressed that there would be no automatic ticket for any one aspiring for any elective office in Lagos. Given that declaration, the task ahead of Oluwo is how to mobilize delegates to vote for him during the primary.

With the governor and Tinubu controlling the party structure in Lagos, the fight ahead for Ambode’s proxy, Oluwo is, however, daunting and almost a mission impossible.

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