Buhari Makes Last-Minute Moves To Save Ambode From Tinubu

Buhari Makes Last-Minute Moves To Save Ambode From Tinubu

Reports have emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; and Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, are on a last-minute move to save Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, from an impending loss of the state All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the 2019 governorship election.

This is as the state governor is reported to no longer be in the good books of an APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The rumours further gained currency on Tuesday when two new aspirants under the APC umbrella – Dr Obafemi Hamzat and Jide Sanwoolu, Tinubu’s favourite  – emerged to vie for the governorship ticket with Ambode in the direct party primary billed to come up in two weeks’ time.

However, The Punch quoted impeccable sources within the ruling party as saying yesterday that the prominent personalities including the President, the monarch and Ajimobi had stepped in to resolve the crisis, noting that the matter would be resolved.

“There are serious moves to end the crisis. Many people, including the President have waded in. And it is not yet too late for the issue to be resolved,” the source was quoted to have said.

“President Buhari, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Oba Rilwan Akiolu are making efforts to ensure that the matter is resolved and Ambode’s second term bid is not terminated,” the source added.

Nigerian Guardian also confirmed that the President summoned Tinubu to Abuja yesterday over the latter’s rift with Ambode.

A reliable source from the party also told the news paper that the APC Governors’ Forum have urged Buhari to appeal to Tinubu not to disgrace one of their own.