Prior to his current travails, the embattled Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State held court in his Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos office as the Governor General of Nigeria.
Ambode, who came to power with the slogan, “Itesiwaju Eko” under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, was the famed powerful Governor and once upon a time financial wizadry, who would take over from former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to continue the mandate of turning the acclaimed centre of excellence to not just a megacity, but a smarcity.
Indeed Ambode started on a good note by providing massive infrastructure all over the nation’s former federal capital through tarring of roads, building flyovers in places such as Lekki and Abule Egba, constructing pedestrian bridges, ultra modern bus stops and undertaking numerous other people-oriented projects all over the cosmopolitan state.
But sooner than later, the accountant-turned politician began to step on toes.
Reports indicated that the cancellation of Private Sector Participation (PSP) in refuse clearing in the state and replacement with Cleaner Lagos Project and Visionscape was a wrong move by the governor.
We were reliably informed that the PSPs that were operated mostly by politicians and which provided employment for over 25,000 workers placed Governor Ambode in a wrong position amongst the politicians, who felt dejected and embarrassed by the move.
But the Governor would not change his mind despite all pleas.
As if that was not enough, those close to government circles revealed that Governor Ambode practically turned the entire state to his personal estate and that he cared less about the feelings of others.
Commissioners were allegedly reduced to errand boys as the Governor reportedly directly handles all contracts in the state.
Sources revealed that all projects files were kept in the office of the Governor in the government house such that some commissioners like Hon. Ganiu Johnson, who was in-charge of Works and Infrastructure in the state were forced to resign from office.
According to the grapevine, those who would not resign such as the former commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Hon. Folarin aka Folly Coker, former commissioner for Transport, Hon. Dayo Mobereola were shown the way out by “the Almighty Governor,” who felt he could do and undo as the governor of probably the richest state in Nigeria.
The Governor and his wife, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode were also accused of removing the former chaplain of Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Pastor Femi Taiwo in 2017 unceremoniously.
Femi Taiwo, who was removed on May 15, 2017 was also ordered out of his official quarters within 24 hours of receiving the letter.
Media reports suggested Mr. Taiwo’s removal came after his actions during an anointing service on May 14 angered the Lagos State governor’s wife, Bolanle Ambode, who was in attendance.
The reports said Mrs. Ambode waited endlessly as she joined a queue to be anointed without any preference accorded her; and that she left the church in anger after being anointed.
Governor Ambode was also accused of disregarding chieftains of the APC such that he never patronised them or allowed them to move closer to him.
He allegedly ruled as if there was no tomorrow and became a sort of “alpha and omega” and a maximum ruler at a period, when democracy is thriving in many parts of the country.
The local government election of 2017 was said to be another test case for the governor, who we were told tried to plant his own candidates as local governments chairmen, supervisory councillors and secretaries to the local governments to the costernation of political gladiators in the APC all over the state.
What of the treatment of civil servants in the state, save for salaries, Ambode reportedly became unpopular amongst the civil servants, who we gathered had never had it so bad in the past.
A source said that they were all praying that the Governor should not be given a second term.
Some other people, who had privileged information revealed that Governor Ambode is arrogant, greedy and selfish as he allegedly blocked all avenues through which others could benefit from the government, while he and his cronies were feeding fat on several projects across the state.
All these reports, we were told, were unpleasant to the National Leader of the APC and Ambode’s godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, Tinubu, who appeared to have joined those who feel the Governor’s cup is full and that he should be shown the way out of the coveted office.
This must have informed the decision of the leaders of the party, especially chairmen of the APC across the state and some other stakeholders in the party to throw their weight behind the likes of Hon. Jide Sanwoolu and Hon. Obafemi Hamzat, who have since collected both expression of interest and nomination forms as governorship aspirants of the APC in the state.
This is quite novel as nobody ever did so during the second term of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the governor of the state and former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.
As the clock is ticking for the governorship primaries of the APC on Saturday September 29, “it is almost becoming impossible that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would be given a second term unless a miracle happens.”
