Lagos APC primary: Osinbajo forecloses Ambode’s fate, all now set for Sanwo-olu’s emergence

By OBINNA EZUGWU

Hamzat, Osinbajo, Sanwo-olu after the meeting at Ikoyi

Vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo may have effectively sealed the fate of Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode ahead of tomorrow’s (Sunday’s) All Progressives Congress, APC’s governorship primary in the state with his endorsement of Babajide Sanwo-olu, the favoured candidate of the state’s political godfather, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday.

The Vice President had following his endorsement, brokered a resolution between the former Commissioner for Training and Establishment, and another aspirant, Dr. Femi Hamzat at a meeting he held with the duo in Ikoyi on Saturday.

Osinbajo having a handshake with Sanwo-olu. Hamzat looks on

Addressing the press after the meeting with Osinbajo, Dr. Hamzat said he had decided to shelve his governorship ambition and has consequently directed his supporters to cast their votes for Sanwo-olu at the party’s primary tomorrow.

He said he took took the decision because he could vouch for Sanwo-Olu’s integrity and personal intelligence.

Meanwhile, on the same day, 36 out of 40 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly endorsed Sanwo-olu candidature.

The decision of the lawmakers, according to a statement by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, was taken at a parliamentary meeting of the lawmakers which took place at Lateef Jakande auditorium of the House on Saturday.

“The lawmakers stated that they were in agreement with the leadership of the party and the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) which had earlier endorsed Sanwo-olu for the governorship ticket,” the statement said.

The meeting was chaired by Mudashiru Obasa, the House Speaker, and the lawmakers duly signed the statement announcing the decision.

It would be recalled that 57 chairmen of the state’s Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) had at a meeting held in Watercress Hotel, Ikeja, few days ago, endorsed Sanwo-olu’s candidacy.