Some members of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have accused Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode of working against the party’s interest by funding the campaign the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) as retaliation for the way he was stopped from seeking re-election.
The accusation is coming ahead of a Monday, December 17, briefing where Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the southwest leader of the party is expected to address party members.
Though Ambode has publicly endorsed Sanwo-Olu as the party’s candidate for the Lagos state 2019 governorship election, a section of the party has continued to suspect the governor of double dealings.
The suspicion has been heightened by reports that Ambode has not released money to the Sanwo-Olu campaign and even blocked channels for such.
That suspicion was not helped by the recent defection to the PDP of Olawale Oluwo, the immediate past commissioner for energy from the party. Some within the party claimed Oluwo, from the same Epe base of the governor was acting a script by Ambode.
“I can tell you that what Ambode said was a damage control attempt after we confronted him with proofs of his double-dealing. He goes to the public to say he is supporting the party’s choice, Sanwo-Olu, but he is doing the opposite in reality. We are aware of the unwholesome activities of people he sent to be part of the campaign team for the party in the state but these moles only come to our meetings to gather information and pass on to the enemy,”
one of the governor’s critics said.
However, close associates of the outgoing governor, have denied the claim that Ambode was conspiring with the opposition to collapse Sanwo-Olu’s campaign.
They stated that the governor’s invitations to the Sanwo-Olu camp for harmonisation of campaign had remained unheeded until last week.
“It is impossible for the governor to lock money away from Sanwo-Olu because all the channels for disbursement of Lagos money are not in the hands of the governor,” one source close to the governor said.
“The money in the coffers of Lagos State is not in the hands of the governor, the people who impose have planted their people everywhere to take control of the money. They are the ones in charge, every layer of control in the state is in the hands of the man. Lagos is peculiar and different from other states, ” the source added.
“The governor has shown character and consistency but these people are still afraid they are afraid of oga’s shadow.”
