Ambode confident of victory as his camp claims Lagos Igbos are solidly behind his re-election bid

GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode's supporters are confident that their principal will coast to victory tomorrow when the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its gubernatorial primaries as Lagosian Igbo groups among others are behind him.

Elected in 2015, Governor Ambode has instituted numerous infrastructural changes across Lagos State and was on course for a second term but a few weeks ago, it appears he felt out with his godfather, the former governor and APC leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. As a result, Asiwaju Tinubu decided to back a challenger in the form of former commissioner Babajide Sanwo-Olu, splitting the party across the state and a divisive primary election now looms.

A former Lagos State accountant general, Governor Ambode, 55, rejected calls from Asiwaju Tinubu to stand down and despite the intervention of the party leadership and the presidency, the two sides have been unable to resolve the spat. Yesterday, vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo met with both sides in a bid to get them to sheath their swords but with both camps sticking to their guns, a showdown is on the cards.

After the meeting, the  Akinwunmi Ambode Mandate Support Group (AMSG), said they are confident that their man will win the primary because he had supporters across the state. Hakeem Sulaimon, the AMSG director-general, said Governor Ambode was not worried about the endorsement of Mr Sanwo-Olu by some groups as the governor's supporters across all 20 local government and 37 local council development areas met on Friday and the support was overwhelming.

Mr Sulaimon said: “There is huge affirmation and support for Ambode across the state, as stakeholders expressed readiness to work for his emergence as the governorship candidate of the APC and the governor of Lagos for a second term. We also had 200 ward chairmen coming here to endorse Ambode."

In addition, Mr Sulaimon said the AMSG was not against any endorsement for Mr Sanwo-Olu as it was part of democracy but pointed out that some of the endorsement information being given out were incorrect. He said that the chairman of Conference 57, Mrs Omolola Essien, was at its meeting on Friday to say that chairmen of the 57 councils in Lagos state would support Governor Ambode’s second term aspiration.

“What constitutes the structure of the party is the ward chairmen, local government area  chairmen and councillors. Some 237 councillors were here at our meeting and they have endorsed Ambode, as they have realised that it was Ambode that they should support,” he said.

“Also, the Community Development Associations (CDA) and Community Development Committees (CDCs), have also thrown their weight behind the governor. The CDAs and CDCs are the biggest grassroots groups, we have 3,900 CDAs in Lagos state and they have openly endorsed Ambode," Mr “The Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Community Development Committees (CDCs), have also thrown their weight behind the governor," Mr Sulaimon added.

According to Mr Sulaimon, Ndigbo associations and other Igbo support groups in the party were also garnering support for Governor Ambode. All these associations are expected to be present at tomorrow's primaries.

Mr Sulaimon said: “Their representatives were at our meeting to again affirm their support for Ambode. We are supposed to have a direct primary and this means that all wards will participate.”

Yesterday, the APC spokesperson in Lagos State Joe Igbokwe, said the governorship primaries was postponed until Monday because people have to go to church on Sunday. He added that people have to be in church on Sunday, so the party decided to reschedule the primaries until Monday unfailingly.

Mr Sanwo-Olu reportedly received the endorsement of 36 out of the state’s 40 lawmakers yesterday afternoon, while another governorship aspirant and challenger, Babatunde Hamzat, stepped down for him. Mr Sanwo-Olu also has the backing of the Mandate Group, the political machine of Asiwaju Tinubu.