₦airaland Forum

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

The lingering feud between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, became more pronounced last week at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium, an annual event organised by associates of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who served under him during his reign as governor of Lagos between 1999 and 2007.

The event, held on March 29 to celebrate Tinubu’s 66th birthday has already pitched supporters of Ambode and Fashola against each other. While Fashola’s supporters claim there was a calculated attempt by the Lagos State government to undermine Fashola, supporters of the governor claimed that nothing of such occurred as the former governor was accorded the respect due to him.

Also, some political analysts have argued that given the role assigned to him by President Muhammadu Buhari to reconcile aggrieved members of the party, Tinubu and the organisers of the colloquium should have used the opportunity to reconcile the two political gladiators but failed to maximise the opportunity the occasion provided.

Fashola, Ambode’s Supporters Trade Blames

Many of Fashola’s supporters shortly after the programme had taken to social media to lament what they called humiliation of the minister and an attempt to erase his legacies as a successor to Tinubu and predecessor to Ambode which was evident at the colloquium.

They also argued that if Tinubu and Ambode failed to recognise the presence and efforts of the former governor in their remarks, they were shocked by the attitude of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who throughout his presentation at the occasion also failed to acknowledge Fashola’s role either as Chief of Staff to Tinubu or as governor of the state.

They also claimed that the colloquium which began in 2007 when Tinubu left office as governor was the brainchild of Fashola, who aside succeeding Tinubu as governor was his Chief of Staff from 2002 to 2007.

According to them, despite all these, no mention was made of the former governor throughout the programme by the speakers especially by Governor Ambode, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the celebrator, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, despite the fact that Fashola was present at the occasion.

According to a special adviser who served during Fashola’s first term in office, he said he was shocked to hear that Fashola was present at the colloquium by a friend who was also lamenting to him the treatment given to the minister.

“You know the whole hall was filled. It was quite a large gathering so you really can’t know who was present or not. So, I never knew ‘oga’ (Fashola) was present. It was one of our friends who later told me he was around. I was shocked beyond words. How can a two-time governor of the state who initiated the colloquium be present at such an occasion and he was not acknowledged?

“Given Asiwaju’s role as the chief reconciliator in APC, we believe charity should begin from home. He should have used the opportunity presented by the colloquium to reconcile himself and Fashola on the one hand and Ambode and Fashola or the other, but they failed to maximise that opportunity and chose to make him feel as if he is irrelevant in the scheme of things.

“The shoddy treatment meted to Fashola didn’t start today. It started since 2016 when Ambode organised his first colloquium as governor. But they should realise that Fashola built on the foundation laid by Tinubu and Ambode is also building on what was left by Fashola. A lot of people have claimed that he (Ambode) is trying to erase Fashola’s legacies in some key areas such as transportation and waste management, but I don’t want to believe that”, he said.

However, countering his claim, an aide of Governor Ambode, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lagos State government accorded Fashola the honour he deserved by inviting him to the colloquium.

He also added that as a serving minister, Fashola was also given a seat among fellow ministers where he sat.

He, however, argued that nobody expects anybody to be singing Fashola’s praises at the event as the colloquium was organised to discuss “issues of national importance and not achievements of past or serving governors of the state.

“For those criticising the state government, the question to ask them is was Fashola invited or not by the organisers of the colloquium? As a serving minister, was he allowed to sit with his fellow ministers in their designated seats or not? Was any special preference given to former governors of the state, like giving them a special area to sit? The answer is no. So, what is the fuss about?

“I think Fashola himself chose to remain silent at the occasion. As a super-minister in the cabinet of President Buhari he should have maximised his position to be in the entourage of the president by following him to commission projects across the state but he chose to walk in silently. Maybe he felt he will be booed by loyalists of Asiwaju Tinubu who perceived him as being disloyal.

“I think Fashola himself is trying to make reconciliation difficult. He was absent at last year’s colloquium despite the fact that he was duly invited. He didn’t come because President Buhari was not present. I think he only attended this year’s edition because the president was around but even at that he chose to remain quiet throughout the duration of the event.



Read more https://independent.ng/tinubu-colloquium-fails-to-reconcile-ambode-fashola/

Who wrote this crap, pls tell fashola to be alive in his responsibility as a minister not flexing muscle with a sitting governor.

There is no need for all these. Fasola should go and beg Tiunbu for forgiveness like Obanikoro.

on what ground should he beg, for disagreeing with Tinubu on many issues that meant well for Lagos State.

muykem:
There is no need for all these. Fasola should go and beg Tiunbu for forgiveness like Obanikoro.

Beg...in what sense?

muykem:
There is no need for all these. Fasola should go and beg Tiunbu for forgiveness like Obanikoro.

Rubbish. Even last year Fashola was a speaker.

If he decides or they decide not to give him any opportunity it makes no difference.

Fashola is rich enough and can never be broke again in his life if he decides to stay away from politics.

He did his best to please Tinubu, but Tinubu is too greedy.

But why should we support this level of godfatherism?

Lagosians toil day and night to keep Tinubu a billionaire

We are Yoruba's in any disagreements, the young is obligated to beg the elder, right or wrong notwithstanding.

fizzy4luv:
on what ground should he beg, for disagreeing with Tinubu on many issues that meant well for Lagos State.