Concerned members from All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly those from former Commissioner for Establishment, Babajide Sanwo-olu, camp, Babajide Olusola Sanwon-olu Campaign Organisation (BOSCO), have began expressing worries over how an alleged power house was planning to cause violence in the state through the governorship Primary Election of the party, expected to hold in the state on Saturday.


They claimed that there is need for authorities to tighten up on security and that the state Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, and Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, must be cautioned against encouraging violence ahead of the primary election in which the governor is a contender, alongside others.

However, the worries, which were not made public, came after Ambode was said to have allegedly began the disbursement of N5.5 billion for securing of the APC’s governorship ticket.

Although, hours before the alleged N5.5 billion secret disbursement, Ambode expressed his readiness to participate in the primary election of the party despite pressure from some quarters that the governors should back-down on his second term ambition.

Sources from the BOSCO who spoke to The Guild on the development said that their concerns were on safety of people in the state as attention of the party had been brought to desperation on side of contenders. One of the sources explained that the readiness of Ambode to go though the primary was commendable but that such acceptance should not happen with intimidation.

He claimed that Ambode and Lagos CP were associates and that the governor may want to capitalize on the opportunity to get the governorship ticket through the back doors. He raised that there was need for the commissioner of police immediate transfer since his ally of Ambode and that he cannot be trusted.

Meanwhile, a source from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who confided in The Guild on Wednesday afternoon, disclosed that Ambode is nursing a sinister plot, with plan to get the ticket through inappropriate means.

“Remember I told you thar Ambode and his people want to get the ticket through back doors and they plan to scatter the primary election. “His hope is that Abuja will now give him ticket. That is what the governor is working on. Enough is said, kindly pass the message to people and let them be vigilant”.

Besides, from Sanwo-olu’s camp, another close associate accused the governor of not been with party from the onset and that a passage from his statement issued earlier, which only recognized 20 local government areas and 245 wards, was an indication that Ambode has ulterior motives.

He raised alarm that trouble was brewing ahead the primary election since the governor has both CP and power on his side and that calling Ambode to order would safe the state from unforeseen chaos. However, in preparation for the primary election, the State Chairman, APC, Tunde Balogun, invited chairmen of local government areas and that of councils’ chairmen to a crucial working meeting which would be holding at the party’s secretariat in Lagos.

In a statement released on Wednesday by the state secretary, Dr Wale Ahmed, the chairman said that it was important the party get the primaries venues for each L.G.A on the basis of 20 Local Government and for each ward on the basis of 245 wards.

According to him, all concerned should please meet later today to harmonize and agree on the said venues and submit them tomorrow morning.

“I implore you to consider as urgent and please comply”. In the face of tough period for the governorship primary contenders, another revelation reaching The Guild from various sources was that one of believed political daughter, Kemi Nelson, and another political son, James Falake, of National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, were working for Ambode and that they were also against their god father.

They alleged that the duo were working together to have Ambode return to office and that both Nelson and Falake move were general knowledge. Meanwhile, it was gathered that Ambode, during a meeting of his inner clique yesterday night in Lagos, approved a budget of N5.5 billion to be spent in ensuring that he secures the APC ticket come Saturday when the primaries would be held.

As learnt, the money, which was claimed to had been released in trenches of N250 million, would be shared to voters in the local governments and other target voters.

Speaking on the disbursement of the fund, a source close to the government disclosed that the sharing of the money had commenced discreetly and that one Segun Solanke was among critical links in the execution of the sharing plan of money for votes.

She revealed that those at the meeting asked Ambode to call Tinubu’s bluff and go for broke and that the argument was canvassed that having shut down the money pipes to the party’s national leader, he was in a stronger position to buy his way through the primaries.

“Ambode was also told that if money could buy votes and near victory for the uneducated Senator Adeleke in Osun state then definitely money will work for Ambode in Lagos as a sitting governor. “Ambode bought into this arguments and worked out a budget buoyed on by the 2 hawks in his kitchen cabinet who reminded him that “We have the money. Lets spend it.

“Only one person at the meeting cautioned against the use of such a huge amount of money because Lagosians will perceive it as wasting tax payers money. The same voice also said the comparison of Osun and the situation in Lagos was different.


Source: The Guild