Ambode’s crime as stated, for more than two weeks is that he has refused to carry relevant stakeholders “along”, whatever that means. The godfather changed the narrative on Sunday when he disclosed that Ambode’s crime is that he failed to implement a “blueprint” for the development of the state. Ambode is fighting back. He called a World Press Conference and called Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the consensus candidate who has been handpicked to replace him, names.
When this crisis occurred, Ambode who was brought to power by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu begged his godfather and benefactor. He was ignored. Ambode’s wife also went before the grandmaster of APC politics in Lagos State. She was treated politely and dismissed. Sanwo-olu has the support of 36 members of the State House of Assembly, all local Government chairmen and chairmen of Local Development Council Areas, party leaders, and Lagos APC members in the National Assembly. Ambode has only the support of local councilors and a segment of public opinion. From the look of things, Ambode as they say, is a “goner”.
But that is not the story. The story is that after all the begging and genuflection, Ambode is now standing up for a fight. On Sunday at a World Press Conference, he pulled off his gloves and resolved to engage in a bare-knuckle fight. He accused his opponent, the Asiwaju camp’s candidate of fraud, incompetence and incapability. Sanwo-Olu has refused to respond in like directly, except may be through proxies, knowing clearly that he still serves in the government of the same man whose office he wants to take.
When this crisis occurred, Ambode who was brought to power by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu begged his godfather and benefactor. He was ignored. Ambode’s wife also went before the grandmaster of APC politics in Lagos State. She was treated politely and dismissed. Sanwo-olu has the support of 36 members of the State House of Assembly, all local Government chairmen and chairmen of Local Development Council Areas, party leaders, and Lagos APC members in the National Assembly. Ambode has only the support of local councilors and a segment of public opinion. From the look of things, Ambode as they say, is a “goner”.
But that is not the story. The story is that after all the begging and genuflection, Ambode is now standing up for a fight. On Sunday at a World Press Conference, he pulled off his gloves and resolved to engage in a bare-knuckle fight. He accused his opponent, the Asiwaju camp’s candidate of fraud, incompetence and incapability. Sanwo-Olu has refused to respond in like directly, except may be through proxies, knowing clearly that he still serves in the government of the same man whose office he wants to take.
If Sanwo-Olu is so bad, why is Ambode still retaining him as Managing Director of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC)? But of course, the fight is not between the two of them, it is between Ambode and Tinubu.
Tinubu accuses him of abandoning a blueprint. Who are the authors of that blueprint? Is it a constitutional matter that a Governor must be held hostage by a document prepared long before he assumed office? What is the content of that blueprint, if the rest of us may ask?
I like the fight between Godfather and Godson. There will be no winners but losers on both sides at the end of the day.
I like the fight between Godfather and Godson. There will be no winners but losers on both sides at the end of the day.
- One, the Ambode saga has already exposed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s vulnerability. His political legacy is at stake.
Ambode, having been pushed to the wall has become the underdog who is ready to shake the table. He has pushed the table.
- Two, Ambode is fighting the battle of his political life. If he defeats Tinubu, he would have re-made himself into a political force. If he loses, he would still have succeeded in exposing the evil of the Godfather syndrome in Nigerian politics.
His travails may end up turning him into a hero.
- Three: nobody is talking about us: we the people, in this entire equation. We know that.
- Four, whatever happens in Lagos has implications for President Muhammadu Buhari’s fortune in the general elections of 2019.
Lagos, not Osun, is the ultimate test for President Buhari’s chances in 2019. But let’s thank Ambode for shaking the table. Whether or not he wins today is not the issue. It is what comes the day after. We wait. by Rueben abati
Lagos, not Osun, is the ultimate test for President Buhari’s chances in 2019. But let’s thank Ambode for shaking the table. Whether or not he wins today is not the issue. It is what comes the day after. We wait. by Rueben abati
So apt. Please whoever knows Abati should advice him to stick to this length of writing. Nice read. So many exposition will hit Tinubu soon.
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting that people’s concern are more geared to how Tinubu will fall. But the other question they are not asking themselves is, has Ambode performed very well to deserve a second term? It was not the case for Fashola when he sought a second term because everyone could attest to his beyond average performance in his first tenure. Even other political parties decided not to field candidates because they thought it was no use. One question to Tinubu critics. Is it that you just want Ambode to win because he performed well or because you want shame on Tinubu and want him to loose grip on the state political structure?
DeleteAnd please Abati, stop exagérons Lagos vote as the ultimate test of Buhari’s contest for next year. How many votes came out of Lagos during the last presidential election?
Very precise questions.
Delete09:33 I love what is happening to Ambode so that others will learn and not take the people for granted. My concerned towards Tinubu is that he should stop playing God. Nobody knows tomorrow. Yes he has the peoples loyalty but he should also know that age has come upon him and he won't be there forever. A day will come when the government at the centre may not favour him and the tide will turn around.
DeleteAnon 9:33, my opinions exactly. Whether tinubu wants ambode gone or not, his tenure has been horrible!!! I wanted him gone long before all this drama.
Delete👍
DeleteAnon 9:33 God bless you. I don't know people's problem with Tinubu. Do you think if Ambode has done well, Tinubu can stop him? Tinubu can never lord over all the 36 state members. Ambode has done less than average
Delete*Larry was here*
I decided to post these questions with the intent of understanding how we reason. I got more interested in them particularly because i saw that our so-called critical Nigerians, despite their education, let go their critical thought because of their sentiments. I keep repeating the same thing here about the other guy there, being a critic is not about clouding your judgements with sentiments. It is about true critical reflection.
DeleteInteresting.....
ReplyDeleteNo Reuben u r wrong! Ambode shook no table. He just committed what is known as political suicide. Why retain somebody who supposedly went to rehab? And even if he when to rehab, y use it against him? Will our youths agree to go to rehab especially now that drug abuse is high knowing fully well it will be used against them in future? And while he was mud slinging, he forgot to tell us about the scandal he had in London with a prostitute. Anyway, as much as I don't support Tinubu's Godfatherism, Ambode failed woefully.
ReplyDeleteEven without how the primaries, if ambode should contest for an election he won’t win. That is except it is rigged. Ambode has messed up Lagos. I can’t I repeat I can’t vote Ambode for a second term. If he wins the primaries Apc is sure loosing Lagos, cos based on his performance he won’t be voted in
ReplyDeleteAmbode we the biafrans love you u
ReplyDeleteSpeak for yourself
Delete@Emmy, pls give him a state in Biafra to govern. Thank you.
DeleteInteresting read
ReplyDeleteLagos is in a mess. let Ambode leave abeg
ReplyDeleteWell, party interest should supersede individual interest, and from that angle Ambode didn't win. But I have a problem with what our people define as loyalty.
ReplyDeleteLoyalty should be based on personal values. You can be loyal to someone today and not be loyal to them tomorrow. That doesn't necessarily mean you are disloyal. It may mean you have changed your loyalty.
There should be a limit. If I am loyal to you because of your honesty and you turn out to be dishonest, I should change my loyalty...
So Ambode's is not a problem of disloyalty. It's a mistake of a man ignoring and rising above or choosing differently from his members.
If we had a serious opposition in Lagos, this case is an opportunity for another party to win. People who still want Ambode will vote him in another party.Pdp has an opportunity to get it right.
olori you are just making noise...what party loyalty? what is the development blue print? they should give us cogent reasons, but we know in naija that reason is that for most party people its not business as usual..i.e he took the refuse collection from most of them...Ambode stupidly did not ensure his company who now handles the refuse thing did a good job cos Lagos is dirtier than before. so my point is they are all the same and the fight tinubu is fighting is not for the good of the people. what tinubu is doing is the reason why development has eluded the masses. money is spent on awarding contracts to appease party people, cronies and helping all those who put the godson in power recoup their money..this vicious circle will never stop till a crop of young politicians with a better vision for this country are raised
DeleteI love you so much anonymous 10:21. You just said it. Even the Tinubu they are hailing is after his own interest and pocket. So also are those shouting Ambode go.
DeleteIs Osinbajo still a pastor?
ReplyDeleteI’m asking for a friend!
Just Krix!
Hahahaha.... Maybe a professor.
DeleteNice read tho.
ReplyDeleteRuben Abati's main issue is TINUBU! For me, Ambode's mega mistake was stopping the income of grassroot politicians( ward's chairmen n women). He did follow up on the blueprint of Lagos, but he concentrated more on transportation. I believe, Tinubu dumped him when his foot soldiers(grassroot politicians) insisted he has to go. There is a lesson in this for everybody to learn. Don't ignore those that helped you while ascending the ladder as they might be the one to help when you slip and rolling down the ladder.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me stan but do you stay in lagos? what transportation did he concentrate on? is it the buses he imported that has turned to artifacts for a museum in ikeja or what transportation? Ambode did nothing in my opinion, Lagos is worse than how he met it!
DeleteThe people that advised ambode have abandoned him.
ReplyDeleteBut I like the fight. Ambode give him 🔥 hot
What fight?
DeleteThis life eh. This is the same Ambode they were threatening to throw people in the lagoon for barely four years ago. Just four years ago here o. Today, he is persona non grata abi how dem dey write this latin biko. The elders are right: if the eyes are patient and calm, they will eventually see the nose. Na dem dem dey fight themselves today. Lobatan.com
ReplyDeleteAmbose was forewarned since last year but he did not heed. Whatever has befallen him today is his making. As the saying goes, pride goes before a fall. Bye
ReplyDeleteIt is well
ReplyDelete