Tinubu rejects all pleas from Lagos Governor’s wife in Osogbo
PSP Vs Visionscape
Lagos generates an estimated 14,000 metric tonnes (about 490 trailer loads) of solid wastes daily, according to the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
Before now, the job of disposing of this huge ton of waste was the lot of the Public Sector Partnership (PSP) operators.
However, in July of 2017, the Lagos State government announced that it was terminating its contract with PSP and handing the job to a foreign firm called Visionscape.
Visionscape is a Dubai based environmental utility group.
In making the announcement, State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode made it clear he didn’t care how the PSP operators were going to take their sack.
Mrs. Ambode profusely begged Tinubu to forgive her husband in Osogbo, but Tinubu wasn’t listening.
Published: 07:39 , Refreshed: 07:48 Jude EgbasPrinteMail
Tinubu rejects all pleas from Ambode’s wife in Osogboplay
Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is in a battle to retain his seat and get that second term he so badly craves (ThisDay )
All the pleas from Mrs. Ambode on her husband’s behalf, didn’t move APC godfather Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Pulse had exclusively reported that Ambode had moved his entourage and his wife, First Lady Bolanle Patience Ambode, to Osogbo where the APC was holding a mega rally for its governorship candidate in Osun, Gboyega Oyetola.
The campaign rally which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and all the APC governors, took place on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
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Their mission was to plead with Tinubu–who is now backing former Commissioner Babajide Sanwoolu ahead of the APC governorship primary slated for September 29—into having a change of heart.
According to a report in Punch, that agenda didn’t quite pan out as planned for the Ambodes.
Tinubu has fallen out with Ambode for a slew of reasons.
Waylaying Tinubu
Punch writes that Mrs. Ambode “waylaid the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and tried to pacify him to change his mind.
“But her efforts did not yield any result as Tinubu was said to have received her cordially and joked with her”.
Punch adds that at a point, Mrs. Ambode had to fight back tears.
“At a point, she became emotional despite the fact that many party leaders were there. But Asiwaju (Tinubu) did not give her the answer she desired. He merely treated her with courtesy,” a source told the newspaper.
Pulse understands that Ambode has been dispatching a host of big name politicians to beg Tinubu on his behalf. At a recent book launch in Lagos, Ambode did everything to catch Tinubu’s attention.
With Ambode eyeing a second term in office on the APC platform, the Mandate Movement, Tinubu’s political structure in Lagos, has thrown its weight behind Sanwoolu. The 57 local councils in Lagos have also endorsed Sanwoolu.
Sanwoolu is also being backed by all of Tinubu’s loyalists in Lagos and top politicians in the State who swear by Tinubu.
Most of these loyalists were at Sanwoolu’s declaration to cheer him on.
There’s actually a plot to halt Ambode’s 2nd term bid and this is what it looks like
The plot to unseat Ambode as Lagos Governor and stop his 2nd term bid, is gathering pace. Here’s the story of all the intrigues in Lagos APC.
Published: 12.09.2018 Jude EgbasPrinteMail
Ambode’s current troubles are beyond performance, may not get 2nd termplay
Ambode picks up his N22.5million governorship nomination form on Monday, September 10, 2018 (@AkinwunmiAmbode/Twitter)
Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, is on the verge of losing his second term bid after falling out with godfather of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Pulse has been told by numerous sources.
Two weeks ago, it was rumoured that Ambode was on the cusp of dumping the APC for the PDP after he was told he wasn’t going to get an automatic ticket by Tinubu. Pulse has learnt that those rumours were not wide off the mark after all.
“At the moment, Tinubu is not backing Ambode for a second term. You can take that to the bank”, a top ranking APC chieftain in Lagos told Pulse on condition of anonymity.
Formidable contestants for Ambode’s job
On the day Ambode stormed the National Headquarters of the APC to pick up his N22.5million governorship nomination form, two other formidable governorship aspirants from Lagos APC were also picking up theirs.
Sources have confirmed to Pulse that Ambode fell out with Tinubu after the Asiwaju made it clear to him that Lagos will adopt the direct primary system to settle for its governorship flag bearer, instead of the indirect primary route.
In a direct primary, registered party members are allowed to freely vote on convention day. In an indirect primary system, only handpicked party delegates are allowed to vote.
Ambode feels that the direct primary system will leave him at a disadvantage, especially since he’s lost plenty of grassroot support.
There’s a plot to halt Ambode’s 2nd term, here’s the gistplay
Dr Jide Sanwoolu may be Tinubu’s preferred candidate for Lagos governorship race (TheBOSS)
Mr. Jide Sanwo-olu, who served as commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions under former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, has emerged Tinubu’s preferred candidate in the Lagos governorship race, one source confided in Pulse.
Sanwo-olu is currently the Managing Director, Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC).
This week, members of the Mandate Movement, a grassroot group in Lagos that answers to Tinubu, held clandestine meetings where they settled for Sanwo-olu as their candidate for the governorship race.
On the night of Monday, September 10, 2018, 57 local government chairmen in Lagos converged on the Watercress Hotel, Ikeja, to pay for, fill Sanwo-olu’s nomination forms and endorse him as their consensus candidate.
Pulse has been told that these local government chairmen were only carrying out Tinubu’s orders.
Former APC Deputy Chairman, Cardinal James Odumbaku, who attended the meeting, said: “Sanwo-Olu is Asiwaju’s anointed candidate for 2019. We gathered here on the instruction of our leader. The meeting is over. The era of Ambode is gone. This is a new era. Jide Sanwo-olu is the next governor of Lagos. All 57 local government chairmen have signed his form. It’s over. In 2019, Sanwo-olu will be the one to occupy the State House”.
Another contestant for Ambode to deal with
Besides Sanwo-olu, Ambode also has Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, a former Works/Infrastructure Commissioner in Lagos, to contend with.
There’s a plot to halt Ambode’s 2nd term, here’s the gistplay
Obafemi Hamzat want Ambode’s job from the APC platform (Naij.com)
Hamzat contested the 2015 governorship primary in the APC alongside Ambode and Olasupo Sasore. He currently serves as special adviser to Works and Housing minister, Babatunde Fashola.
Pulse has however been told that Hamzat doesn’t enjoy the backing of Tinubu and is seen as a man not to be trusted in Lagos APC circles.
“He’s not a Tinubu loyalist and has challenged Asiwaju in the past”, one source said of Hamzat who is considered too close to Fashola to be entrusted with power in Lagos State. The rift between Fashola on one hand and Tinubu/ Ambode on the other, is well documented.
Another source said of Hamzat: “His dad is a very influential Oba and a direct threat to Asiwaju’s hold on Lagos politics. He is seen as one of the Abuja-Lagos Fashola guys. His aspiration is not likely to fly in Bourdillon”.
Tinubu’s men react
However, Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, told Punch that the Asiwaju isn’t backing anyone in the Lagos governorship race.
“Can you ask the aspirants to tell you when Tinubu endorsed them? Let them tell you when he endorsed them”, Rahman told the newspaper.
Joe Igbokwe, publicity secretary of Lagos APC, was quoted by TheCable as saying: “Do you know that Ambode picked his nomination form yesterday? That puts to rest the speculations you’ve been hearing for years. Ambode is the man. Take it.”
Chief Press Secretary to Gov Ambode, Abib Haruna and Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Kehinde Bamgbetan, weren’t immediately available for comments.