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Ambode: Tinubu Gets Emotional, Sheds Tears During Meeting With Buhari in Oshogbo

 

Events at the APC governorship rally in Oshogbo on Tuesday may have rekindled hopes for a second term as the governor of Lagos state for the embattled governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. The leadership of the All Progressives Congress who gathered in the state capital used the opportunity to compile pressure on the party’s national leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give Ambode a second chance.

IGBERE TV had reported of tensed infighting between the estwhile political son and godfather, leading to alleged endorsement by Tinubu of Jide Sanwo-Olu, an ex commissioner in the state, to Unseat Ambode in the 2019 elections.

Sanwo-Olu reportedly has the backing of the powerful Mandate movement, which is super loyal to Tinubu.But signals that the crisis might be resolved in favour of Ambode became visible following a meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and some APC governors on Tuesday.

Tinubu

This was at the mega rally for Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, APC’s aspirant in Saturday’s Osun State gubernatorial election. The party’s leadership was said to have pleaded with Tinubu to let go of his grievances and allow Ambode return for a second term.It was learnt that former governors of Osun and Ogun States, Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Segun Osoba, started the peace overture, as they led Ambode to entreat the national leader.

IGBERE TV learnt that the move might have been pre-planned, as Ambode rarely attends such occasions. His appearance in Osogbo, alongside his wife Bolanle, therefore gave rise to this suspicion. Sources said Tinubu, out of respect for Akande and Osoba, promised to let pass his grouse. But with a condition: his political loyalists in Lagos, who have made up their minds that Ambode must go, must be consulted.

The two advocates then led the incumbent to Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is perhaps the closest loyalist of Tinubu. On the advice of the former governors, Ambode was said to have prostrated pleadingly, while the Osun governor expressed his grudges and those of Lagos party members. He also explained why the members insisted they wanted Ambode out.

One of the sins Aregbesola noted was Ambode’s alleged moves to destroy his (Aregbesola’s) political structure in Lagos West, especially in Alimosho. He said Ambode kept him waiting for several hours when he visited the Lagos government house. He further accused Ambode of vindictiveness towards party members that aided his emergence as governor in 2015. Aregbesola however reportedly promised Akande and Osoba that he would look into the matter.

At the meeting with Buhari and the APC governors, sources said Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu led the plea with Tinubu. “It is not in the culture of Hausa people to prostrate. What we normally do is express respect to our elders or leaders by saying Ranka Dade. But today, I am going to break that protocol,” he reportedly said, and prostrated.

Unable to hold his emotions, the national leader burst into tears, at which point, Buhari stood up, moved closer to Tinubu, and implored him to give Ambode a second chance.Consequently, Tinubu called for a meeting of the Governors Advisory Council (GAC) to hold yesterday, the outcome of which would determine the incumbent’s fate.

Before the Osogbo meeting, pointers that the crisis could be resolved in Ambode’s favour were already in the public domain, as some APC members cautioned that the party could be stretching its luck too far, if it denies the incumbent a ticket.Another signal a resolution would be struck before next week’s primary was yesterday’s return by contractors to some road project sites in the state. Work had stopped as soon as news broke that Tinubu wasn’t backing Ambode.

All efforts by IGBERE TV to reach Akande or Osoba for confirmation of their roles in resolving the matter were unsuccessful as at the time of this report.

Also, the party’s spokesman in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, told IGBERE TV that the GAC meeting would hold but denied knowledge of the Osun peace parley.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, the director general of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organisation, said there had not been any resolution, stressing that his principal was not ready to step down for anybody.

“It is the party and not Tinubu that said other aspirants should contest the governorship ticket. There is no iota of truth in the narrative that APC governors and President Buhari prevailed on Tinubu to reverse the decision.

There is no going back on the Sanwo-Olu ambition. The national leader did not instruct us to back out and he wouldn’t even say so because it is a party affair, not individual. My aspirant is going ahead to participate in the direct primary,” Ayinde said.

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Emeh James Anyalekwa, is a Seasoned Journalist, scriptwriter, Movie producer/Director and Showbiz consultant. He is the founder and CEO of the multi Media conglomerate, CANDY VILLE, specializing in Entertainment, Events, Prints and Productions. He is currently a Special Assistant (Media) to the Former Governor of Abia State and Chairman Slok Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Anyalekwa is also the National President, Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN) https://web.facebook.com/emehjames

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