‘No rift between Tinubu and I’ — Ambode breaks silence

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, says the relationship between him and Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is smooth.

Ambode said this while addressing members of the ruling party in Epe, during the election of delegates for the presidential primary and national convention of the APC, on Wednesday.

“I want you to know that there is no fight anywhere. The National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my good self we are not in any fight, we are not in any controversy,” he said.

“We are praying to God that the best is yet to come and the best will be what Lagos State deserves and I want you to just continue with your prayers that at this time, God will show His hand and make sure that everything that is of blessing to Lagos State and also blessing of Epe will come to pass.”

He specifically commended all the leaders and party faithful who contributed to the success of the delegates’ election in Epe, saying APC remained the party to beat in Lagos and Nigeria.

“We have just concluded our Delegates’ Election in Epe Local Government and by consensus, we have picked our three delegates that will be going to the National Convention come October 6 for the Presidential direct primaries and the convention for all other people,” he said.

“I want to say a very big thank you to all our delegates that are present here; I want to say a big thank you to all our leaders that have also supported us to make sure that this event has come and is done very successfully.

“I want to reiterate once again that our party, All Progressives Congress (APC) remains the party to beat; we are the party at the national level and we are going to remain the party in the State.”

Mandate Movement, a group loyal to Tinubu, has endorsed Babajide Sanwoolu, a former commissioner in the state, as the next governor of the state.

At a meeting held after Sanwoolu picked his governorship nomination form, James Odunmbaku, a prominent member of the group, said: “Sanwoolu is the incoming governor of Lagos”.

Odunmbaku also accompanied Sanwoolu to the APC headquarters when he submitted his form on Wednesday.

An APC insider had told TheCable that Ambode had been asked to drop his second term bid or risk impeachment.