The Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has distanced himself from reports emanating from social media that he endorsed Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a Lagos Sate governorship aspirant contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A picture of Sanwo-Olu and the vice-president had surfaced on social media with claims that he had endorsed the governorship aspirant as the APC candidate.
However, in a statement from the office of the vice-president on Sunday, the claim was denied with the assurance of support for any of the aspirants who emerged as the party’s candidate after the primary.
Osinbajo had attended the meeting of the General Advisory Council (GAC) on Saturday, and took pictures with the APC governorship aspirant just before the meeting started.
Osinbajo also met with the Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu.
Shortly after the meeting, pictures of Sanwo-Olu and Osinbajo emerged on social media with some claims that the vice-president had endorsed the former.
According to the statement, Osinbajo called for a level-playing ground for all aspirants in the Lagos State governorship primary, scheduled for October 1, 2018.
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had a ‘World Press Conference’ where he viciously attacked his rival in the October 1st All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, Babajide Sanwoolu. He called Sanwoolu a criminal who spends fake dollars at the club as well as declaring him mentally unfit to rule Lagos.
The briefing came amidst immense pressure on the governor to step down in the contest for the All Progressives Congress’ governorship ticket in Lagos. Already, a potential successor has surfaced in the person of Jide Sanwo-Olu, who rose to prominence after being endorsed by all the state’s 57 local government chairpersons about two weeks ago.
Ambode had boldly declared war against his estranged godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the Bourdillon, Ikoyi home of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he said that he will not step down for their preferred candidate, in the 2019 Governorship race in the State.
The National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, disclosed the shift in the date of the Lagos primaries in Abuja, while inaugurating the panel that will oversee the election in 29 states, explained that the shift was due to logistics reason. Also shifted to Monday, is the primary election in Imo State.
Before the postponement, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) and other major stakeholders of the party were to converge on the party secretariat on Acme Road, Lagos where they were to endorse Sanwo-Olu as their choice candidate. But the meeting was hurriedly dispersed by the crowd of Ambode’s thugs, who thronged the venue.
However, a member of the GAC, Senator Anthony Afuye, told the gathering that there were consultations with relevant stakeholders of the party, which had in attendance Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and was chaired by the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
While confirming the shift announced earlier by Oshiomhole, Afuye said: “The gubernatorial primary has been shifted to Monday, October 1st, and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat has stepped down, and endorsed Sanwo-Olu. The GAC and other major stakeholders have also endorsed Sanwo-Olu.”
As at yesterday morning, spirited attempts were made to save the incumbent from losing the primary, but in spite of all entreaties, and last minutes intervention by stakeholders, all parties involved in the face-off between the governor and Tinubu held onto their positions.
In another unfortunate scenario for the incumbent, 36 out of the 40 members of the State House of Assembly allegedly pledged their support for Sanwo-Olu at a meeting, yesterday.
In throwing their weight behind Sanwo-Olu, the lawmakers in a statement by the chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Princess Adefunmilayo Tejuoso said they were in agreement with Tinubu and the GAC, which had earlier endorsed Sanwo-olu for the governorship ticket.