Lagos 2019: How Ambode escaped impeachment

The broadcast of Governor Akinwumi Ambode on Wednesday to accept the result of the controversial direct governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State which Babajide Sanwoolu was declared winner. Sanwoolu was sponsored by APC leader and political godfather of Lagos politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the party’s governorship ticket in Lagos State.
Since Ambode addressed the World Press Conference prior to the Monday, October 1, 2018, primary election which was later shifted to Tuesday, October 2, 2018, where he sounded hard on the party leadership and the challenging opponent, Sanwoolu, party sources disclosed to National Daily that Ambode had been on watch list while the machinery of the state party was set in motion to facilitate his impeachment if he had won the primary election to demystify the authority of the godfather in the state. The sources maintained that for defying the godfather, the governor would have paid dearly for it.
However, Ambode saw the hand writing on the wall, resolved not to protest the result of the controversial direct primary election Sanwoolu was declared winner and averted the tragedy.

Accordingly, Governor Ambode, in his broadcast on Wednesday, congratulated Sanwo-Olu, APC governorship candidate after the Tuesday primary election, noting that it is time for the State to move forward in order to consolidate on the gains of the last three and half years.
Ambode had remarked that though events of the last few days had been characterized with intense political activities which created palpable tension in the polity, but that the interest of the State superseded that of any personal ambition, and, therefore, urged members of the party and, indeed, all Lagosians to support the candidate of the party.

Ambode had declared inter alia: “Fellow Lagosians, the last few days have witnessed intense political activities that have gripped the attention of the nation and created palpable tension in the polity. I strongly believe that the time has now come for the State to move forward in order that the gains of the last three and half years are not lost.

“Dear Lagosians, APC is a great party and the interests of our beloved State must always supersede that of any person or group. It is in this regard that I wholeheartedly congratulate the winner of the Lagos State APC Primaries, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and urge all Lagosians to immediately support our party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and work for the success of our dear party.”

The governor promised he would work to ensure a smooth transition in 2019, maintaining that the progress of the State is non-negotiable. He assured that he would remain forever devoted to the development of the State as he had exemplified since assumption of office.

Ambode further thanked APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos APC leaders, and all Lagosians for the support extended to him, and urged the people to continue to support the party.

“I wish to use this opportunity to thank our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the leadership of our great party at State and National levels, all party faithful and all Lagosians.

“I thank all Lagosians for their faith and trust in me. I urge you not to relent in your support for our party as we prepare for the General Elections,” the governor stated.
Several stakeholders in Lagos polity are of the view that the Wednesday broadcast dowsed the tension in the state and aborted the clandestine plot to impeach the governor if he had resisted the outcome of the Tuesday primary election in the state.