Lagos 2023: Ambode Group Set To Truncate Sanwo Olu’s Second Term Bid; APC Reacts

By Akinwale Kasali

A Group under the aegis of Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Organization, AMCO, has said it has concluded plans to determine who becomes the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship candidate.

The Group said it has mapped out plans on how to bring an end to the reign of Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu as the Governor of Lagos State.

Former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who the Group says is their Principal, is said to be battle-ready to challenge the current structure in the State, and has queried the decision of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, to  back the Second Term bid of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

It also stated that the endorsement of Sanwo-Olu by the GAC did not indicate APC’s members stance as the GAC is not recognized at the National Level of the APC.

Aside from the governorship seat, Ambode and his supporters have also indicated that they were prepared to determine APC members that represent Lagos at both Senate and House of Representatives as well as members that would occupy the State’s House of Assembly after next year’s election across Lagos.

Former Commissioner for Energy and Mineral resources, Wale Oluwo, disclosed AMCO’s plans and stressed that 2022 primaries would be different from that which was conducted in 2018, resulting in Ambode’s removal from office.

During the programme anchored by Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, on a Lagos-based radio station, Oluwo said Ambode is seriously interested in what happens in Lagos and has indicated readiness to stand by his ideals.

Oluwo disclosed that AMCO would present aspirants that would contest for all elective offices including Governorship, and challenge the existing structure within the Lagos APC.

He disclosed that feasibility studies have been conducted and that their outcome showed Lagosians were not getting dividends of democracy under the present administration as against what was obtained during the previous administration in the state.

“Performance for performance, the administration of Sanwo-Olu cannot be compared to what Ambode achieved. You have to start with security and infrastructure, we can show a lot of things now. But for this government, well this is not the time to start tearing ourselves apart.

While disclosing that he had returned to APC after a change in leadership of its National Working Committee (NWC) and the disposition of the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, to ideals of internal democracy, Oluwo hinted the major plan was to return power to members as against some individuals determining activities within APC.

According to him, what we have in Lagos APC is that a particular group has monopolized everything without considering others. I am happy to be back and Governor Ambode is interested in what would happen in Lagos during 2023 general election. And that interest aligns with the interest of the people.

“The way that the GAC sponsored its candidate is the same way that we will do that for our own candidate too. And members of the party will have the option of determining which of the candidates, either AMCO or GAC, they will like to vote for. We acknowledge that Sanwo-Olu has picked his nomination form, the AMCO candidate will also do his own. And the primary will happen.

“For AMCO, we are participating at all levels of the election. From Governorship to the House of Assembly. We will field candidates for all positions. Our candidate will not be Akinwunmi Ambode. That is not where we are going. We will present our own aspirant and he would challenge the governor for the seat in Lagos.

“The process of presenting our own candidate is almost concluded and I can assure you that by early next week, that candidate will be announced. The GAC is only promoting their own interest by announcing Sanwo-Olu’s as their candidate”.

A Chieftain of the party in Lagos, who did not want his name in print, said that if one samples opinions of members and residents of Lagos, the revelations may sweep one off one’s feet.

According to him, the Sanwo-Olu administration has not met the aspirations of Lagosians and I am afraid that the party may be defeated if we field in Sanwo-Olu due to the issues surrounding the administration particularly the shooting at the Lekki tollgate during EndSARS protest.

“Many of us have embarked on steps to measure performances of the incumbent administration. And doing that, we had gone to sample opinions of the people and it was discovered that the administration has not performed as expected”, the chieftain added.

Meanwhile, he has thrown his weight behind the stance of AMCO that no one should be given an automatic ticket, rather they should allow members to decide who to become APC flagbearer for the election.

The party elder added that it would bring fair competition among members that have indicated interest to contest on APC platform and everyone would battle to get the support of the party members, unlike the existing plan.

The chieftain stressed that dozens of members’ ambitions have been truncated due to the current arrangement within the Lagos APC and that it was time that the policy change and the leadership give everyone opportunities to test their strength.

Another member from the Sanwo-Olu’s camp told our correspondent that GAC’s endorsement is important and that it represents the positions of members since the composition of the council includes APC leaders across the state who were close to grassroots members.

He added that the endorsement reflects that Sanwo-Olu’s administration worked more than the Ambode Administration, and it is evident across Lagos, especially in the rail projects, and other programmes as well as policies initiated by the current administration.

Reacting to the claim and stance of AMCO, the Acting Publicity Secretary of the Lagos APC, Yesiro Karamo, in a Statement said, “ Our attention has been been drawn to the distractive interview by a faceless group which calls itself Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group led by one Olawale Oluwo.

For starters, the promoters of the group  , if they are truly members of Lagos State All Progressives Congress, ought to know that the activities of clandestine groups have been banned because of their divisive tendencies.

It is also interesting that it has taken three years after the ouster of the Ambode administration in the state for such a group to spring up and claim relevance.

However, they could be pardoned because it is in the spirit of the season.

It is worthy to recall that the Lagos state APC had earlier made it clear that the endorsement of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC ) for another term in office did not foreclose the ambition of any other member.

As a Democratic Party, we remain committed to provide a level playing for all aspirants for various offices and ensure internal democracy.

It is distasteful and unacceptable for a group purportedly committed to our party to take on the role of the opposition within.

While we want to welcome back our members who hitherto left our party to the progressive family, we need to caution them not to unnecessarily heat up the polity with unguided utterances. In their absence, the party successfully conducted congresses at the ward, local, state and national levels to fill party offices.

The process of reconciliation is also especially in Lagos State making steady progress.

Therefore, our returning members will be expected to conduct themselves in a manner acceptable under our party’s constitution, rules and guidelines.

As a party, we remain proud of the landmark achievements of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu.

He has not only kept faith with kernel of his social contract with Lagosians, the THEMES agenda, he has returned the state to the path of steady progress. He has been a symbol of responsible, stable, responsive , humane and humble leadership. He has indeed delivered on the policies and the politics”.