A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos State has appealed to Sen. Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and party leaders to reconsider their position on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.
The Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State headed by Tinubu on Saturday endorsed Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to pick the party’s governorship ticket for the 2019 election in the state.
Members of the council, the highest decision-making body of APC in the state, after several meetings, announced the endorsement to party members at a stakeholders’ meeting at the ACME Road state party secretariat.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the CSOs, Mr Alex Omotehinse made the plea in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, said that the party’s decision on Ambode should be revisited in the interest of the masses.
Omotehinse, the Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Lagos State Chapter urged Tinubu and other party leaders to pardon Ambode of any shortcomings in order to complete various ongoing projects.
According to him, Ambode has not disappointed Lagos residents and party leaders in terms of performance and getting dividends of democracy to people.
“We Appeal to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on all the leadership of the APC in Lagos State to forgive any shortcomings of Ambode and consider his love and passion to deliver dividend of democracy to the good people of Lagos state.
“We can attest to the fact that governor has tried in the last three and half years in office as the executive governor of Lagos state.
“He (Ambode) has delivered so many bridges, road infrastructures and created employment opportunities among others.
“We are pleading with Asiwaju Tinubu and party leaders to allow Ambode to continue the good work he has started in Lagos.
“There are so many ongoing projects scattered across the state that should be allowed to be concluded by Ambode that started them,” Omotehinse said.
According to him, the group has resolved to make this plea because it realised that Ambode has a good plan for the state and his good works are speaking for him and the party – APC.
He commended Ambode’s feats in creating employment opportunities, economy, embedded power supply besides his massive road infrastructures among others.
“We can see the good things Ambode is doing and he hasn’t finished it so therefore it is better we allow him Ambode to.
“Finally, we believe and know that Asiwaju can prevail on the party leaders in the state and Ambode will be forgiven. To err is for man, forgiveness is of God,” the rights activist said.
NAN reports that Ambode’s second term ambition has been facing opposition within his party following speculations that he has fallen out of favour with his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Party leaders are supporting another APC governorship aspirant, Mr Sanwo-Olu, a former commissioner in the state and the Managing Director, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation against the incumbent governor, Ambode.
Analysts view the development as a trying political season for Ambode, who has since announced his readiness for the party’s direct primary on Oct. 1 to slug it out with his opponents.
Another APC governorship aspirant in the state, Mr Femi Hamzat, a former commissioner for works, has reportedly stepped down his ambition to support Sanwo-olu.
Local government chairmen and former council sole administrators in the state are among groups rooting for Sanwo-olu to succeed Ambode in 2019.
