….Sanwo-Olu Says APC Leaders in Lagos Have Endorsed Him
Baron Ike
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state and his major challenger have submitted their governorship nomination forms at the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ambode submitted his form 48 hours after his challengers: Obafemi Hamzat and Jide Sanwo-Olu, two prominent APC chieftains in Lagos, picked up governorship forms at the APC secretariat.
Also on Wednesday, the governorship aspirant on the platform of the APC in Lagos State, Jide Sanwo-Olu, submitted his nomination forms.
With that speculation that he may be enjoying the support of former governor and APC national leader, Bola Tinubu has been deepened.
He also said the APC leaders in Lagos have endorsed his aspiration, and there was nothing anybody could do about it.
Ambode and Sanwo-Olu
Governor Ambode who has also declared his intention to seek re-election told party faithful on Wednesday at Epe that there is no rift between Tinubu and himself.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu said he hopes to contribute his quota to the realisation of the Lagos State dream.
He said he prepared adequately for the job, having had experience in governance in the state.
Sanwo-Olu said: “I have had a wide range of experience and I have a dream to obviously contribute a lot more as a ‘Lagosian’ and son of the soil. I will just be able to let our people get to where they know that governance is all about people. It is about what we expect, it is about what will go back to them, improve their lives, security and there are lot of other things we are going to be rolling out.”
On insinuation that he was being sponsored by Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu said he could not deny that Tinubu was the leader of the party.
He added that his candidacy had been endorsed by leaders of the party at the local government level.
His words: “There is no doubt that things would be said here and there. A man that is standing in front of you, fully grown-man with several years of experience, like I said, it is about the Lagos of our dream, it is about the Lagos we want to take to the next level.
“I think it has nothing to do with our leader and there is no denying the fact that he is our national leader. And he takes back position not only in the state but in the national and you know he has interest in the well-being and improvement of Nigeria’s dream.
“So, by extension, Lagos is a dream that he is passionate about and we will continue to refer to him as our leader, but most important thing is, I am in front of you, this is who I am, this is what I have come to express to you, and Lagos, certainly, will be a better place to live in for all us.”