There Is No Rift Between Me And Tinubu, Ambode Insists ...Says God’ll show His hand at the right time

...Epe youths back governor's 2nd term bid

Uncertain of seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday denied rift between him and the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for allegedly working against his re-election in 2019.

Rather than confronting the APC national leader, however, Ambode challenged all his supporters to continue to pray for his administration, assuring them that God, who brought him to power, would show His hands at the right time.

 He denied any disagreement with the APC leader during the election of delegates for the APC national convention and presidential preliminary election in Epe on Wednesday, noting that comments on the social media did represent the truth.

The Mandate Movement, Tinubu’s political group, had endorsed the Managing Director of Lagos State Property Development Cooperation (LSPDC), Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, to contest the 2019 governorship election in Lagos State.

Subsequently, all chairman of 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) signed Sanwo-Olu’s governorship nomination form, claiming that they were acting on the instruction of the APC leader.

APC chieftains, including former APC Deputy Chairman, Cardinal James Odumbaku, and former Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Kaoli Olusanya, allegedly directed Ambode to return his nomination form or face impeachment at a meeting held at Watercress Hotel, Ikeja, last Monday night.

As shown in the video of the meeting that was received through Whatsapp, Odumbaku claimed that there was no other political group in Lagos State again other than the Mandate Movement, noting that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organisation had been fused into the Mandate Movement.

He, therefore, said Sanwo-Olu “is our anointed candidate. We gathered here on the instruction of our leader. We must honour him by supporting his choice candidate for the 2019 governorship election in the state. The era of Ambode has gone. This is a new era. In 2019, Sanwo-Olu will be the one to occupy the State House.”

But while addressing the delegates for the APC national convention in Epe yesterday, Ambode acknowledged that the media had been flooded with report of a major rift between Tinubu and him over alleged differences on his re-election.

According to the governor, "I want you to know that there is no fight anywhere. Tinubu and my good self are not in any fight. We are not in any controversy. We are praying to God that the best is yet to come. The best will be what Lagos State deserves.

“I want you to just continue with your prayers that at this time, God will show His hand. He will make sure that everything that is of blessing to Lagos State and Epe will come to pass."

He specifically commended the party leaders and faithful who made input to the success of the delegates' election in Epe, assuring them that the APC remained the party to beat in Lagos State and Nigeria.

"We have concluded our delegates’ election in Epe Local Government Area. By consensus, we have picked our three delegates that will be going to the national convention on October 6 for the presidential direct primaries and the convention for others.

"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 came to pass successfully.

"I want to reiterate once again that our party remains the party to beat. We are the party at the national level and we are going to remain the party in the state,” he said.

At the event which was held at APC Secretariat in Aiyetoro, Epe, Alhaji Shakiru Seriki (Bamu), Otunba Bode Alausa and Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, the state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, were elected as national delegates from the Epe division which comprises one local government area (Epe) and two Local Council Development Areas (Eredo and Ikosi-Ejirin).

The party leaders and faithful in the division also took turn to affirm their unalloyed support for the second term bid of the governor.

They included the Chairman of Epe Local Government Area, Adedoyin Adesanya; Chairman of Eredo LCDA, Saliu Adeniyi; Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA, Samson Onanuga; party Chairman in Epe Local Government Area, Otunba Kehinde Adeniyi; State Welfare Officer, Alhaja Abiodun Bankole; former member of the House of Representatives representing Epe, Hon Bola Gbabijo, and member of Lagos State House of Assembly representing Epe constituency II, Segun Olulade.

Others are APC Women Leader in Epe, Mrs. Iyabo Adegboyega; LGA party Secretary, Alhaji S.A Owolomose; Youth Leader, Abdul Ibrahim; Otunba Bode Alausa, Akin Oladipupo among others.

Youths in the division also staged a peaceful protest displaying placards of various inscriptions to affirm their support for the governor's second term bid.