Ambode dumps APC for PDP?

There have been the innuendoes that former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, may be contemplating dumping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), perhaps, to chart a new course for his political career. National Daily learned that the former Lagos State Governor was feeling disappointed over his exclusion from the ministerial nominees list sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Senate would be concluding screening of the 43 nominees on Tuesday, thereafter, the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly would proceed to their confirmation.

However, Habib Aruna, Chief Press Secretary to Ambode, had in a skeletal statement on Monday night, disputed any plan by his principal to dump the ruling APC for the PDP, denying that the information on Ambode defecting from APC was “totally untrue”. He reiterated that the information is fake news, insisting that Ambode remains a strong member of APC. He appealed to the public to disregard the report.

“We enjoin the general public, particularly, Lagosians, to disregard the planted news by some faceless and mischievous individuals in some unknown blogs, who are hell bent on creating acrimonious situation, spreading fake news that the immediate past governor of Lagos State, HE. Akinwunmi Ambode, has dumped the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) for the PDP.

“The news is fake. The former governor is firmly a member of APC, working in his own capacity to see that the progressive ideas and the next level agenda of President Buhari succeed,” the CPS had declared.

During and after the 2019 elections, there were wide speculations that President Buhari may compensate Ambode with ministerial appointment after he was denied the APC governorship ticket for second tenure in Lagos State, despite the intervention of the president.

President Buhari appeared to have abandoned Ambode to his faith in exchange of strengthening his union with APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

While re-appointing the former Lagos State Governor and Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, President Buhari doubled the Lagos ministerial slots to appoint the Managing Director of Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora.

Meanwhile, there are still expectations that President Buhari may squeeze in Ambode in other political appointments like ambassadors, special advisers or special senior assistants. Apparently, Ambode has reasons to remain patient in the APC.