Ambode’s exit will not affect APC in 2019 presidential election - Tinubu tells Buhari
- The Lagos APC primary is scheduled to hold today, October 2, in 377 wards across 20 local governments in the state
- Governor Ambode tasks the party’s national working committee to conduct free and fair governorship primaries
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has told President Muhammadu Buhari that the inability of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to go for a second term poses no threat to the party’s chances in Lagos in the 2019 presidential election.
Vanguard reports that Tinubu made the statement on Monday, October 1, in Abuja, where he had discussions with the president over the tussle for the Lagos APC governorship ticket which has turned into a heated contest between the incumbent, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the Tinubu-backed Jide Sanwo-Olu.
The Lagos APC primary is scheduled to hold today, October 2, in 377 wards across 20 local governments, in the state. Every card-carrying member of the party is eligible.
READ ALSO: My decision on Jide Sanwo-Olu remains unchanged - Tinubu insists
A party source privy to the meeting with Tinubu and Buhari also dismissed reports that the APC leader was summoned by the president to Abuja over the issue.
“There was no summoning. There was nothing like the President summoning him; he (Tinubu) sought for the appointment himself, and I am not even sure that the governor (Ambode) is going to be there. There is nothing like him being summoned,” the source who did not want to be named said.
“He (Tinubu) sought for an appointment with the President to clarify some issues, and it is not like he is bringing anybody to the table, he will be there alone because he sought for the appointment and it was meant strictly to clarify the issues for the president.”
Another source noted that party leaders trying to resolve the differences between Ambode and Tinubu were turned off by the governor’s press conference on Sunday, September 28.
"That press conference exposed him and stopped everyone that had been involved. The president had prompted the NWC based on calls from several quarters to see what could still be done and they were to meet with the parties in Lagos, but that press conference put everyone off.
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“The trip had to be called off, and he exposed himself that he wanted to fight the system, and that press conference exposed him,” a high-level source in the party said.
Meanwhile, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state on Monday, October 1, urged the panel appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to conduct the Governorship Primaries in the state to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants in the contest.
Ambode spoke when he received members of the panel led by its Chairman, Ebri, at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja. He said it was important that the election when conducted, is seen to be free, fair and credible to all aspirants concerned.
He added that it was only in such situation that democracy, which the party upholds was entrenched. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the panel include Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel as Secretary; Nze Chidi Duru; Chief Clever Egbeji, Sen. Clever Ikisikpo and Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe.
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Source: Naija.ng