By EXCLUSIVE: UNSURE OF AGBAJE, AMBODE PURPORTEDLY SHIFTS SUPPORT TO ADP’S BABATUNDE GBADAMOSI
Tempers are again flaring within ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos over reports of internal sabotage of the party in the just concluded February 23 national elections.
Even as party leaders gird their loins to secure victory for the party’s governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the governorship polls scheduled for next Saturday, emerging hints are revealing that power blocs within the ruling party in the state may be working at cross purposes with a view to “settling old scores”.
BlackBox Nigeria gathered from a card carrying member of the party that the party is now divided between two factions and groups.
One group according to the party faithful who desires to remain anonymous, is seeking to undermine the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, right within a state he has pitch his tent over the years, the commitment of the other is said to be limited to only canvassing re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to information given to BlackBox Nigeria by the source, both parties are however determined to scuttle Sanwo-Olu’s emergence as governor-elect.
When asked, the brain behind this machination , said that Governor Akinwumi Ambode, despite repeated denial, was accused of diverting huge resources to opposition elements as part of a high-stake plot to “embarrass” the party for denying him second term ticket.
Our source also revealed that the Incumbent had plans to support the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Jimi Agbaje immediately after he lost at the ruling party’s primaries until he recently decided to switch his support to the candidate of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Babatunde Gbadamosi popularly known as BOG.
He revealed further on Ambode’s Alleged role thus,
“This came just as indication emerged that the Lagos governor may have resolved to dump PDP’s Jimi Agbaje and switch clandestine support to the candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Babatunde Gbadamosi (B.O.G).”
“Ambode lost his bid for second term ticket in the party primaries last October due to what was described as his non-challant attitude towards party interest and contempt for party members and elders.”
“Interestingly, for the umpteenth time, Governor Ambode especially last weekend has said he remains committed to Sanwo-Olu’s victory, apparently to dispel widespread reports that he was covertly working for the opposition.”
In view of efforts to come out clean, Habib Haruna, the Press Secretary to Ambode, in an official statement recently, argued that his principal could not be held liable for whatever action of certain individuals who might have shared the former vision of the governor but have proceeded to pursue their own interests as adults and citizens without any influence from or recourse to Ambode.
Despite the feel good statement, there are clear indications that all might not be well the ruling party, as political enthusiasts continued to express surprise at the marginal voters turnout in the February 23 national elections which saw President Muhammadu Buhari polling 580,825 votes to beat PDP’s Atiku Abubakar who scored 448,015.
They presented the argument that the aggregate of 1.2m turn-out last Saturday is a far cry from the 6.5m registered voters in Lagos.
BlackBox Nigeria also gathered from source that, in an emergency meeting convened to review the development earlier in the week, Asiwaju Tinubu expressed disappointment at the complacency of party leaders including council chairmen and ward heads.
Jagaban also argued that the results did not reflect even the membership strength of party put at over 1.4m, urging massive turnout in the forthcoming governorship polls, threatening sanctions against poor performance.
Recall that more than 1 million members had voted in the primaries held last October to decide the party’s governorship flagbearer.
However, party insiders at the meeting revealed that Tinubu’s position was different from the intelligence reports from field officers indicating that the party’s perceived poor showing in Ojo, Amuwo, Ikorodu, Yaba, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe and Ajegunle resulted from massive cash mobilization of non-Yoruba groups by Ambode’s agents to vote against APC.
Funds for the voters-suppression operations allegedly came from the support group which is directly controlled by Ambode. Officially, the unit is designated as one of the campaign monitor for APC both at the national and state levels.
The disbursements, we gathered, were done in two tranches – N200m (for non-Yoruba groups to vote against APC) and N250m for B.O.G. ahead of the next Saturday’s polls.
However, when contacted, a source close Ambode, who craves anonymity, denied the allegations as “nonsense”.
His denial fits into a pattern of denial of persistent accusations against Ambode of working against the emergence of Sanwo-Olu as Ambode’s successor come May 29.
When asked to comment on the allegation that’s his boss is being sponsored by Ambode, the Personal Assistant to ADP Governorship candidate, Ayodele, said it is indeed laughable because Ambode has been avoiding everybody even those wanting to discuss the progress of Lagos State.
“An Ambode who has been avoiding everyone who wants to discuss the progress of the state, even politics aside?” he asked rhetorically.
The decision of the Ambode camp to dump Agbaje and work for ADP’s Gbadamosi was said not be unconnected with the former’s continued poor rating ahead of the polls.
In the words of another source close to the ADP candidate,”I can authoritatively tell you that Gbadamosi’s support has continued to grow with help now coming from Ambode’s supporters. We’ve also opened discussions with the Agbaje group which does not enjoy the support of the core PDP in Lagos to join forces with us in ADP to ensure Gbadamosi is victorious come March 9. Their interest will be accommodated when Gbadamosi forms his own government.”
One will also recall that in a dramatic move last October, Wale Oluwo, a close associate of Amobode had declared support for Agbaje’s governorship ambition on the same day he resigned as Energy Commissioner in the Ambode administration shortly after his mentor lost the APC primaries.
As a trusted member of Ambode’s inner cycle, Oluwo was said to have handled the multi-billionaire electricity projects in the state for three years, from which he was expected to play a prominent role in Ambode’s reelection campaign had he secured the party’s ticket.
Insiders confirmed that Oluwo’s financial contributions to Agbaje’s campaign have been quite formidable, particularly in footing the bills for media advertising and provision of campaign souvenirs.
The new Gbadamosi project, it was gathered, is being coordinated by Fuad Oki and Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi. They are said to have, in turn, recruited activist Sina Soremikan to help them mobilize civil society organizations (CSOs) as foot soldiers.
Oki was the Director General of APC campaign organizations for the election of both Babatunde Fashola and later Ambode in 2015.
Interestingly, the Lagos APC yesterday, Friday 2nd March 2019 issued a disclaimer on Afikuyomi, labeling him a persona non grata, urging party members to desist from associating with him over alleged anti-party activities.
A day earlier, media reports had linked Afikuyomi, who until recently was an influential member of APC in Lagos, with moves by PDP forces to take over Lagos in the coming state elections by launching anti-Tinubu campaign.
