22nd September, 2018
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Lagos chapter of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) have refused to endorse Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term.
Vanguard reports that the GAC, which is the state’s highest advisory political body headed by Tinubu, rose from its meeting on Saturday, September 22 insisting on direct primary for all gubernatorial aspirants.
The 22-man council members was said to have met on Saturday evening inside Tinubu’s Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi area of Lagos,
The state governorship primary is slated for September 29, when the party’s flag bearer for the 2019 governorship election will be chosen.
Following the GAC’s decision Governor Ambode will now have to go head-to-head against two other contestants who have also obtained nomination forms and submitted same.
The other aspirants are Managing Director, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and former Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Femi Hamzat.
The 22-man council members, who met Saturday, evening at Tinubu’s, Bourdillon residence, Ikoyi, Lagos, Sanwo-Olu is reportedly Tinubu’s preferred candidate.
The GAC is Lagos state’s highest advisory political organ under the leadership of Tinubu.
The membership of the council, made up of the governor and leaders of the party across the three senatorial districts of the state, include, Dr. Olorunfemi Bashorun; Senator Anthony Adefuye, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Chief Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi and Cardinal James Odumbaku.