Ever since the intense war of attrition which eventually culminated in his controversial defeat at the governorship primary election of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has displayed a high sense of maturity and tact in moving on and making conscious efforts to forge a common prow with others to ensure the party’s victory at all levels come 2019. Our Correspondent, Lolade Olabiyi reports.

It all started like a beer-parlour gossip that the leadership of APC in Lagos had concluded plans to deny Ambode a second term and the question on the lips of those who immediately dismissed it was that such was not in sync with reality as virtually all the party echelon had publicly endorsed him for a second term.

Prior to that time, the list of those who had endorsed the governor’s re-election included all the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) chairmen, all former council Executive Secretaries and Soul Administrators, councilors, all members of APC House of Representatives Caucus, all the three Senators representing Lagos at the upper Legislative Chamber, among other chieftains and groups both within and outside the party.

But all that soon changed when those who had openly identified with the governor’s re-election bid, started to sing another song and drumming support for the preferred candidate of the party leadership, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

It was also publicly reported that about few days to the said primary election, the party leadership had categorically told Ambode to withdraw from the race, an instruction he was not only averse to, but also bluntly rejected after which he opted to contest the election.

Based on the agreement that the election would be through direct primaries where all members would elect their preferred candidate as against the delegate system, the governor had raised issues about the moves by the party to disenfranchise the vast majority of members of the party without membership card but with slip and other means of identification.

The Electoral Panel constituted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC to conduct the election led by Mr. Clement Ebri had swiftly responded by announcing that all members with slip and other means of identification would be allowed to vote.

Though the election was shifted twice, there were reports of members of the party who wanted to vote for Ambode being denied their right of doing so by touts and political hawks allegedly on the orders of the powers that be.

While the election was ongoing and sensing that the guidelines were not being followed, the NWC panel addressed a press briefing to disown the election, saying materials and other logistics were yet to be perfected and distributed across the state, but their decision was soon overruled by the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who made announcement from Abuja declaring that election held in Lagos.

The following day, the Ebri-led panel announced the result of the same election it had earlier disowned, giving victory to Sanwo-Olu in the process.

However, in a move totally depicting his readiness to accept whatever might have happened and to move on, Ambode made a state-wide address where he congratulated Sanwo-Olu for emerging victorious at the polls, saying it was time for the state to move forward in order to consolidate on the gains of the last three and half years.

He said though events leading to the election were characterized with intense political activities which created palpable tension in the polity, but that the interest of the state superseded that of any personal ambition, and therefore urged APC members and indeed all Lagosians to support the candidate of the party.

“Dear Lagosians, APC is a great party and the interests of our beloved state must always supersede that of any person or group. It is in this regard that I wholeheartedly congratulate the winner of the Lagos State APC Primaries, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and urge all Lagosians to immediately support our party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and work for the success of our dear party,” Ambode said.

While assuring that he would work to ensure a smooth transition in 2019, the governor said the progress of the state was non-negotiable, saying he would remain forever devoted to the development of the state as he had exemplified since assumption of office.

“The progress of Lagos State is non-negotiable. It is a project that I have passionately worked for in the last three and half years as your Governor and one to which I will forever be devoted,” he said.

Soon after that, at the first State Executive Council meeting after the primaries, Governor Ambode devoted quality time to preach a message of forgiveness and unity. It was reported that the governor specifically asked all the council members to work in support of Sanwo-Olu, and also focus more on governance and issues of public concern rather than engaging in another round of political conflict that can undermine governance and public administration.

According to a Commissioner, who was at the meeting, Ambode encouraged every council member “to double their efforts to make Lagos a true centre of excellence. All of us must forget what has happened. We must forgive and forget so that we can face the business of government with renewed spirit and approach the next election in unity.”

In addressing both political and governance issues neglected during the intense political maneuverings, the governor immediately set in motion a taskforce to rehabilitate failed roads across the state, which had been a major source of worry for residents.

Also, in an effort to back his words of uniting with those who worked against him at the primaries with concrete action, the governor met with members of the Lagos State House of Assembly where he preached the same message of forgiveness and unity, while he followed it up with the collapse of the Ambode Mandate Support Group (AMSG) into the Sanwo-Olu Campaign Council.

Specifically, the governor according to sources, appointed a five-man contact team under the leadership of the Coordinator of AMSG, Hakeem Sulaimon, to hold a meeting with the Director-General of the Sanwo-Olu Campaign Council, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, on how to work together now that the primaries had been concluded, while in addition to that, the governor also directed his supporters across the 20 local government areas and 37 LCDAs to begin grassroots campaign for the APC governorship candidate.

Immediately after the primaries, according to a source, Ambode sent message to all his supporters and support groups to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not win the state, for the sake of continuity and also work for President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory.

According to a source who is close to the seat of power, the governor had made it clear that he was going to do everything to win the state for the APC, including giving financial support to Sanwo-Olu and even campaigning for him, while he had consistently praised the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the man who is believed to have masterminded his defeat at the poll.

“He (Ambode) harbours no ill feelings towards anybody, as a matter of fact, he has repeatedly thanked the National Leader for choosing him from millions of able and capable people, eligible to be the governor in 2015,” the source said.

To further demonstrate that he is consistent, the governor again on Tuesday, vowed to lead a strong campaign to ensure victory for President Buhari and Sanwo-Olu in the 2019 general elections.

Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport shortly after he accompanied President Buhari to perform the official commissioning of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Border Posts at Seme-Krake joint border post in Badagry, Ambode said it was important for the APC to retain its leadership positions both in the federal and the state levels.

“I have just accompanied Mr. President to the Nigerian-Benin Border Post. So what we have commissioned today is a joint Border Patrol post between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin and it is called Seme-Krake Border Post.

“But again, just to also use this opportunity to let Lagosians know that we are heavily committed to the re-election of Mr. President and you can see that his continuous visit to Lagos reiterates the fact that he is actually a lover of Lagos State and I am committed to ensuring his re-election.

“We are going to campaign heavily for him. I am also committed to ensuring that the APC wins the governorship election come 2019. We support the candidacy of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we would make sure that APC retains Lagos State and the centre,” he said.

Clearly, Governor Ambode’s posture and statement have created an atmosphere of unity within the rank and file of APC members across the state that would go a long way to galvanise all interests within the party. If for nothing else, it would be pivotal for the party in its quest to stretch its dominance in the state come March 2, 2019, when Lagosians would go to the polls to decide the new helmsman at the Lagos House, Alausa.