By Dapo Akinrefon, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Omeiza Ajayi, Ebun Sessou & Monsuru Olowoopejo
How Ambode bungled last-minute intervention by Buhari, APC NWC
No plan to impeach gov — Lagos lawmaker; Pro-Ambode group protests
LAGOS —NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday, met President Muhammadu Buhari to assure him that negative fallouts from the moves to stop a second term for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would not affect the party’s chances in the 2019 presidential election.
Ambode, Tinubu and Sanwoolu
Tinubu’s meeting with Buhari came as it emerged that last Sunday’s press conference by Ambode where he harangued his rival, Babajide Sanwo-Olu derailed a last-minute intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari to salvage his prospects.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party again shifted the governorship primaries from yesterday to today.
Also yesterday, the chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, lamented the failure of the governor to pick his calls or grant access to him, a development he said had hindered the dispatch of the governor’s party membership card to him.
Press conference turned away NWC — Source
Rebuffing insinuations that the shift of the primary from Monday to Tuesday was upon a last-minute presidential intervention to help Ambode, a source close to the national leader laughed it off yesterday.
“There was no summoning. There was nothing like the President summoning him; he (Tinubu) sought for the appointment himself, and I am not even sure that the governor (Ambode) is going to be there. There is nothing like him being summoned.
“He (Tinubu) sought for an appointment with the President to clarify some issues, and it is not like he is bringing anybody to the table, he will be there alone because he sought for the appointment and it was meant strictly to clarify the issues for the president.”
Another source noting the absence of further interventions on behalf of Ambode said that the governor shot himself in the foot with his press conference on Sunday.
“That press conference exposed him and stopped everyone that had been involved. The president had prompted the NWC based on calls from several quarters to see what could still be done and they were to meet with the parties in Lagos, but that press conference put everyone off.
“The trip had to be called off, and he exposed himself that he wanted to fight the system, and that press conference exposed him,” a high-level source in the party said.
Ambode’s membership card ready but I can’t reach him-Chairman
Meanwhile, the chairman of the state chapter of the party, Balogun yesterday clarified issues pertaining to Ambode’s membership card.
The governor had alleged that he had not been issued with membership card hours to the primary election.
Balogun countering the claim, yesterday, while displaying the green party membership card, lamented that every effort of his to officially deliver the card to the governor had proved abortive.
“In the last 24 hours, I have been on the trail of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as the party chairman with his party card with me. But unfortunately, all my calls have had no response. This is unfortunate. A few hours ago, I sent him an SMS telling him about this. I made several calls which were in vain.
“I was able to get his Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to inform him about this. I still don’t know how to get this to him. I want to apologise, but I made efforts to get the card to him in the last 24 hours.
“The cards were brought in about five days ago. After the sorting which was according to Local Governments and wards, the card was brought to me. I called him in the last 24 hours, but I cannot get him.
“Out of respect, the party chairman has to accord the governor the courtesy. I will ensure that he gets it. I am positive about this. Whenever I know his whereabouts, I will surely go there and hand it over to him,” Balogun added.
Ambode had petitioned the National Working Committee, NWC, that all party members with genuine membership slip be allowed to vote.
“Many of our members do not have the permanent card,” he had alleged.
Meanwhile, due to communication problems, the primary election took place in three local government areas before officials, and party faithful knew that the primary had been called off.
The councils where election reportedly occurred before it was later suspended were: Yaba, Ikorodu, and Ojokoro. There were reports of fisticuffs between supporters of Ambode and Sanwo-Olu before policemen intervened.
The state secretary of the party, Dr. Wale Ahmed, announced the postponement of the exercise in a statement, which read thus: “Dear All
I have the authority of the State Chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun to inform you of the postponement of the Gubernatorial Primaries that was supposed to take place today (October 1st, 2018).
“The election will now take place tomorrow (today) October 2, 2018, by 9.am in all designated venues.”
Armed police stationed at APC secretariat
At the Acme state secretariat of the party, heavily armed policemen were stationed both within and outside the premises, apparently, to ward off possible break down of law and order by miscreants.
At about noon, members of the election panel from the national secretariat arrived and went straight to the office of the state chairman Balogun where they had a brief meeting with him before they departed to meet with Ambode at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja.
Ambode demands free, credible primary
The governor, who received the seven-man committee led by a former governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr. Clement Ebri, at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, expressed confidence in the panel saying that the party must live to its reputation.
Noting his observations, he said: “There were issues that we raised that we are also trying to correct. The bottom line is this; we are one family, we must not go into the elections divided because this is the very first time that our party is controlling the centre and also the state that is what I want us to continue.
“The issues that I raised have been put in form of a letter which I would pass to the chairman, and I believe the committee will look into them judiciously, and also I welcome the stakeholders meeting which will allow you feel the pulse of what is going on in the State.”
Earlier in his address, Ebri said that more members might be deployed to the State for effective conduct of the primary.
His words: “We have come to intimate you that this exercise is going to take place in the next few hours. I also like to apologise for the delay; it had to be postponed as a result of logistics in Lagos, Imo and some other States because of the pressure and workload from the secretariat and other developments that have taken place.”
Other members of the committee deployed to conduct the poll were Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel as Secretary; Mr. Nze Chidi Duru; Chief Clever Egbeji; Senator Clever Ikisikpo and Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe.
No plan to impeach Ambode—Lagos lawmaker
Meanwhile, a principal officer of the State House of Assembly, yesterday, dismissed insinuations of the threat of impeachment hanging on the governor.
The polity in the state had lately been wrapped with insinuations of a plot to impeach Ambode should he forge ahead to contest today’s primary.
The lawmaker who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The issue is a family affair, and I am not aware of any move to impeach him. I have told you earlier, the party is supreme, and upon its stand, we shall all stand. Nobody is above the party, and that is the foundation of the party, and I know that all the members of the party are aware of that.”
Meanwhile, factional chairman of the party, Fouad Oki, yesterday described the current crisis in the party as “worrisome” and urged the national leadership of the party to intervene.
“When family members are in conflict, is it not the responsibility of family members, especially the elders or those who care deeply about the well being of the entire family, to make every attempt to solve the problem,” Oki said at a press conference, yesterday.
“The purpose of this letter is to invite the Chairman of the National Working Committee of APC, members of the National Working Committee, NWC, and our revered leader and President of the country as well as the Vice President to urgently look into the crisis that could engulf the Party irredeemably in Lagos State.”
Pro-Ambode group protests
Also yesterday, hundreds of protesters claiming to be APC members, stormed the party’s Secretariat, Ikeja, protesting against the guidelines set by the National Working Committee, NWC, for the primary in the state.
The protesters stormed the party secretariat at about 4:30 pm few hours before the seven-man committee assigned to conduct the primary arrived the secretariat to address stakeholders on modalities for today’s poll.
They explained that their major grievance with the guideline was the plan to use the party permanent membership card as against the slip which according to them a significant proportion of party members do not have.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Kolawole Okedara alleged that: “Since they have decided to hoard the card, then they must allow everyone that could present the party slip to cast their vote for the aspirant of their choice.
“If they do not allow that, then there will not be any election. We have registered since 2014 but the party did not issue any card to us. And when the primaries arrived, they claimed the permanent card that was not issued months before today will be used for the primaries. This is not fair at all.”
Why we are backing Ambode
Meanwhile, a party chieftain in the Old Badagry Division yesterday affirmed that he was backing Ambode on the fact that stopping him would dislocate the division from producing the governor in the nearest future.
“How can you say the party has spoken, am I not a party chieftain myself?”
“Don’t they want us in Badagry to also produce governor? If they bring in another person when will we produce governor? Ambode must go for his second term.”
NWC, APC leaders differ on voting guidelines
Meanwhile, the NWC and leaders of the APC in Lagos, yesterday, disagreed over the mode of voting to be adopted for today’s rescheduled primary.
The meeting, which was in two sessions at the party’s Secretariat, Acme, Ogba, lasted for several hours and ended about 8.55pm.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the panel chairman, Mr. Ebri said:
“The primary will hold. For you to participate in the primary you have to be a member of the party and you have to have your membership card and your name must be on the register. If you don’t have a membership card and you have a slip and your name is on the register, you will vote.” https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/lagos-guber-war-ambodes-exit-cant-damage-you-in-lagos-tinubu-tells-buhari/

If not that they are planning to rig heavily Buhari is already damaged in Lagos when it comes to free fair elctions

if Ambode doesn't win today's direct primary election, I will advise Ambode to decamp to pdp, pdp has structures in all the 20 local and the 37 LCDA, he still has the best chance to win the next year governorship election. for example in osun state, the people hate Tinubu style of imposed candidate. Infact almost all. his boys from Lagos lose all their polling unit. even Aregbesola lose his local government to opposition pdp. the race is between pdp and Apc. cos' the two parties have party structures. Lagosians still love Ambode to go for second term. I assure everyone today, Tinubu only have this stubborn spirit, and it will choke him if he didn't do the needful by putting his house in order. osun State elections is the litmus test for next year election. it was when the people have reject Apc that they think of plan B, I don't think plan B will happen in Lagos cos other political parties will support Ambode too to win.

FarahAideed:
If not that they are planning to rig heavily Buhari is already damaged in Lagos when it comes to free fair elctions

the effects of card readers has checkmate them a little bit from rigging. osun State governorship election expose it more. it was when they saw that it's over for them that they adopt their plan B, even their plan B doesn't play well as all the bodies in the government knows that they rigged the rerun election with violence and intimidation by Apc thugs. the evidence is even clear for everyone to see. south west people are already tired of Tinubu style of imposed candidates.osun state governorship election is a message to them.

Buhari can only win elections in a country like Nigeria where people vote based on sentiments, religion, ethnicity, hunger and also a country where education rate is poor.

How can an educated, civilised and politically unbiased person vote a man like Buhari as his president?

[img]http://2.bp..com/-0uyQwPJu208/VkC-lugnOUI/AAAAAAAHQVA/K8lEbTFW1u0/s1600/unnamed.jpg[/img]

Another source noting the absence of further interventions on behalf of Ambode said that the governor shot himself in the foot with his press conference on Sunday.

“That press conference exposed him and stopped everyone that had been involved. The president had prompted the NWC based on calls from several quarters to see what could still be done and they were to meet with the parties in Lagos, but that press conference put everyone off.
“The trip had to be called off, and he exposed himself that he wanted to fight the system, and that press conference exposed him,” a high-level source in the party said.

Incompetent and sef destructive clown..

[quote author=deomelo post=71705257][/quote] Ambode was pushed to the wall. even some people called him trump of Lagos politics.

deomelo:

[img]http://2.bp..com/-0uyQwPJu208/VkC-lugnOUI/AAAAAAAHQVA/K8lEbTFW1u0/s1600/unnamed.jpg[/img]







Incompetent and sef destructive clown..

Na Agidi you and Tinubu get, you have developed your hatred with Ambode since last year. it will surely choke you if you don't stop.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^


lmao @ Trump of Lagos politics.




Igbos and comedy sha,,

Johnnyessence:
Na Agidi you and Tinubu get, you have developed your hatred with Ambode since last year. it will surely choke you if you don't stop.

Keep quiet jare


You hate ambode and you don't give a shit about Lagos, Tinubu is your obsession.


WetinTibubu do you Igbos? He didn't pay your school fees ni abi wetin?

deomelo:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^


lmao @ Trump of Lagos politics.




Igbos and comedy sha,,

the same you posted series of Ambode projects here on nairaland. Tinubu Boys that is one of the commissioners in osun state lost their polling units and local government to opposition people cos' they are politically irrelevant in osun state politics, now the same commissioners are in Lagos to cast their votes for sanwo Olu in today's direct primary election, I will inform you here that they will lose in next year gubernatorial election. alot of them are paper weight politician. Na stubbornness put them into trouble in osun state politics.

Muchechechecheche

The DRUG BAYRON has spoken!

How can a LIFELESS be damaged?

deomelo:



Keep quiet jare


You hate ambode and you don't give a shit about Lagos, Tinubu is your obsession.


WetinTibubu do you Igbos? He didn't pay your school fees ni abi wetin?

I love Ambode to finish his second term, he has done his best in the first tenure, he deserves second tenure. the same oshodi he restructured is now receiving good outlook. I could saw Mc oluomo in tvc yesterday endorsing sanwo Olu, all in the name that it's Tinubu's candidate. it was last month governorship election in osun state that I know that Tinubu is politically irrelevant in south west politics, na Stubbornness he get. they match him with his money and he picked race. Na fg he can used to oppressed his followers, As far as I'm concerned, he's not politically strong again.

only tinubu can not instigate everybody against ambode,though tinubu has the mouth,power and popularity..it seems to av stepped on toes
if i were to be ambode,i will gladly step down,Tinubu gave him the platform,there will be no ambode without platform
and besides is it constitutionally written that a governor must go for two terms??
ambode should jst go home,and give thanksgiving to God for four years of rapid growth and development in lagos..Fighting tinubu and his foot soldiers wont help u
go and rest ambode,u ve done ur best

Does buhari think he has a support base in lagos?

He should have known Lagos is a commercial city and his woeful economic policies took a huge toll on lagosians..

oluwamile:
only tinubu can not instigate everybody against ambode,though tinubu has the mouth,power and popularity..it seems to av stepped on toes
if i were to be ambode,i will gladly step down,Tinubu gave him the platform,there will be no ambode without platform
and besides is it constitutionally written that a governor must go for two terms??
ambode should jst go home,and give thanksgiving to God for four years of rapid growth and development in lagos..Fighting tinubu and his foot soldiers wont help u
go and rest ambode,u ve done ur best

I hope you know that the same Tinubu went for second term, I hope you know that the same fashola went for second term, so what's stopping Ambode to go for second term. 80% Lagosians love Ambode to go for second term.

Johnnyessence:
the same you posted series of Ambode projects here on nairaland. Tinubu Boys that is one of the commissioners in osun state lost their polling units and local government to opposition people cos' they are politically irrelevant in osun state politics, now the same commissioners are in Lagos to cast their votes for sanwo Olu in today's direct primary election, I will inform you here that they will lose in next year gubernatorial election. alot of them are paper weight politician. Na stubbornness put them into trouble in osun state politics.

ipob rubbish, you are from abakaliki, you carry Osun matter on top head and lost, now Lagos matter and Tinubu is your akpu related headache.. after losing in Lagos nko? What's next? Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara?

See ya miserable and losing life..


They need your passion and energy in your village, be the son of the soil and help them get out of backwardness and stone age living..

oluwamile:
only tinubu can not instigate everybody against ambode,though tinubu has the mouth,power and popularity..it seems to av stepped on toes
if i were to be ambode,i will gladly step down,Tinubu gave him the platform,there will be no ambode without platform
and besides is it constitutionally written that a governor must go for two terms??
ambode should jst go home,and give thanksgiving to God for four years of rapid growth and development in lagos..Fighting tinubu and his foot soldiers wont help u
go and rest ambode,u ve done ur best

Ondo people are very stubborn.

deomelo:




ipob rubbish, you are from abakaliki, you carry Osun matter on top head and lost, now Lagos matter and Tinubu is your akpu related headache.. after losing in Lagos nko? What's next? Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara?

See ya miserable and losing life..


They need your passion and energy in your village, be the son of the soil and help them get out of backwardness and stone age living..

but I usually post Aregbesola projects then during his first term in government, so are you now telling me that I'm from Abakaliki too? you are confused Tinubu boy. you are attention seeker here.

deomelo:




ipob rubbish, you are from abakaliki, you carry Osun matter on top head and lost, now Lagos matter and Tinubu is your akpu related headache.. after losing in Lagos nko? What's next? Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara?

See ya miserable and losing life..


They need your passion and energy in your village, be the son of the soil and help them get out of backwardness and stone age living..

I'm only advicing you based on what's on the ground, so you get that to your skull. the race is between pdp and Apc cos' they both have party structures and supporters too.

deomelo:



Ondo people are very stubborn.

Iragbiji people are very stubborn too.

Johnnyessence:
Iragbiji people are very stubborn too.

You are from iragbiji also?


One ipob village don lose their son patapata

Johnnyessence:
I'm only advicing you based on what's on the ground, so you get that to your skull. the race is between pdp and Apc cos' they both have party structures and supporters too.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884803_1s_jpeg23a18f7265ee210a41da1d713c22faa3

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884894_1s_jpeg23a18f7265ee210a41da1d713c22faa3


www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884895_dddd_jpeg3f531cbc4b277350b7795421aa5ab77c

This is what Lagosians saw o the ground today.



Mind your abakaliki village and let Lagosians worry about Lagos.

Tinubu is very scared of Buhari and the power Buhari has was in part given to him by Buhari. What an irony

Lagos State bus conductors at it again...
"Wole pelu change e, ma 'Sanwo' pelu fake dollar o".
O deep gan!
Good morning Nlanders.

[quote author=clefstone post=71705598]Tinubu is very scared of Buhari and the power Buhari has was in part given to him by Buhari. What an irony[/quotpe] scared of Buhari? I doubt that. It's normal to be scared of a sitting president though but with Jagaban and his structures, PMB wouldn't even try to force him to do anything, he can only plead.

clefstone:
Tinubu is very scared of Buhari and the power Buhari has was in part given to him by Buhari. What an irony

The Tinubu we know will rather loose Federal than loose Lagos state. Ambode is a goner.

Wiseandtrue:

Why won't it prove abortive

Cards arrived 5days ago For an election you knew would take place since 4 years ago

When will we ever get it right in this country And someone still says APC have a blueprint

If Ambode is to get his card few hours to the election, what about his supporters

Tinubu, by assuring Buhari means that he has put everything in place to ascertain that Ambode will not win by rigging

Where is the level playing ground

I think I can authoritatively say that it is difficult to identify Tinubu with anything "FREE and FAIR"

All his dealings is characterised with division, thuggery and violence

This is the reason, he will never be respected!

very true ooooooo

deomelo:




lmao... Abeg, show me 1 Aregbe project you posted on NL.

Don't compound your many issues with lies..

you stop asking me foolish questions OK. Lagosians love Ambode.

deomelo:



www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884803_1s_jpeg23a18f7265ee210a41da1d713c22faa3

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884894_1s_jpeg23a18f7265ee210a41da1d713c22faa3


www.nairaland.com/attachments/7884895_dddd_jpeg3f531cbc4b277350b7795421aa5ab77c

This is what Lagosians saw o the ground today.



Mind your abakaliki village and let Lagosians worry about Lagos.

As if it didn't worse during Tinubu and Ambode's government. why don't you post Ambode's projects? you are enemy of progress. ikaa