Lagos 2019: Fashola aligns with Tinubu against Ambode

• Hamzat steps down for Sanwo-Olu

Latest development in the preparations for the Sunday direct governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, shows that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, may have reached consensus to align with APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, against incumbent Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

The new alliance is not unconnected with the decision of Obafemi Hamzat, one of the governorship aspirants, to withdraw from the APC direct primary governorship election scheduled for Sunday, September 30, 2018. Hamzat stepped down for another governorship aspirant, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, widely believed to be sponsored by APC leader and godfather of Lagos Sate politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Accordingly, the Sunday direct primary election is now left for the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode and the godson of Tinubu, Sanwoolu.

Hamzat withdrawal from the governorship primary election compounds Ambode’s challenges and chances of defeating Sanwoolu in the primary election. The Hamzat tradeoff and alliance strengthens the Tinubu camp and expands the winning chances of Samwoolu to the detriment of Governor Ambode.

Hamzat is widely believed to be sponsored by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, former Governor of Lagos State. The stepping down of Hamzat for Sanwoolu signifies a seeming reconciliation or reunion of Fashola and Tinubu, indicating that the two former governors have abandoned the incumbent governor to his faith.

Hamzat was sponsored by Fashola in 2015 but lost the delegate election to Ambode who picked the govern5roship ticket of the APC. Meanwhile, the terms of the negotiation and withdrawal are yet unknown but Ambode will now face the bloc forces of Tinubu and Fashola at the Lagos APC direct governorship primary election on Sunday.