The crisis rocking the ruling Lagos APC with Governor Ambode may have gone cold but yet to be over after his denial of a second term bid and remains unprecedented in the over fifty years of the creation of the Aquatic Splendor City, Lagos State or even in any other state. Though Lagos has remained a pacesetter in virtually every sphere of life in Nigeria and remains the only state where a sitting governor is not the party leader of his state due to an entrenched structure of Jagaban the Asiwaju of Africa Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
With the success of his party faithfuls in quote in quenching his quest for a second term bid in office one would have expected that the remaining few months in office would have been left to culminate peacefully but all seem not to be so as the exalted and number one office in Lagos state is been demystified just to punish a man and may likened to the case of throwing away the baby with the dirty water. Lagos with her special status though not official remains a focal part of Africa that must not be toyed with.
In a recent event organized by one the state government’s agencies at the famous Lagos Television Blue Roof, was the presentation of cheques to over two thousand the beneficiaries of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) the event was scheduled to commence by 9am but never did till about two hours later, while the delay was on, observations of some actions were made that connote that all may not be well with and within the office of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode as he may have lost the entire grip of the leadership of the state.
One of such was the sitting arrangements on the high table which initially had a special executive sit that signifies the reference to the office of the governor but was replaced with the usual plastic chair though this may not have been noticed due to its uniformity, but the second was not and it drew the attention of many and may have even won more sympathizers for Mr Ambode. For a state function such as the LSETF’s presentation of cheques to beneficiaries of her loan scheme. The planners of such event are usually not first timers; just like the event was also not a maiden event, the backdrop for the event had the inscription ” Presentation of Cheques Ceremony by the Executive Governor of Lagos State Mr Akinwunmi Ambode”.
While the arrival of HE was waited the word “Executive” was erased with either a plain sticker or a paint thereby appearing as this ” The Governor of Lagos State”. This made tongues to wag as many demanded why such an action was carried out in such an event while excuses were made by some that he, Ambode does not like to use the word “Executive”, the big question remains that if truly he does not like to use the word “executive” does it make it illegal to address him so despite being a provision of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. While the event lasted the compere was noticed to be mindful of not using the word executive while addressing the governor. His entrance to the event was obviously starved of the usual feel of his entrant to such an occasion as many who stood up could be noticed of having different reasons while some were sympathetic others were just observing protocol while the body language of his team to the event and his speech lacked the usual audacity.
With about six months to end of his administration in office as the executive governor of Lagos State and with another year fast approaching many are wondering if he will be able to present a budget for the year 2019 and get it approved owing to his frosty relationship with his cabinet which majority were in support of the party’s move to dump him while many are considering the danger this might portend for the commercial capital of Nigeria and the nation at large.
With the campaign window for gubernatorial election now open and the use of the slogan ” Liberate Lagos” as credited to the campaign train of Mr Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples’Democratic Party a major opposition to the incumbent and to his successor Mr Sanwo-Olu may play the role the word “Change” played in Nigeria during the 2015 general elections if soothing balms are not applied to bear with Ambode prior to February gubernatorial elections as Nigerians ably represented by Lagosians still remain one of the most compassionate people who want to bid a fair well to Ambode with their protest votes if these observations are not checked.
More so, the need to understand that the office of the governor remains exalted is a clarion call for concern and must be referred in that regards irrespective of the occupant and the wills of the power brokers. With special status of Lagos State though not official the state cannot afford to brew anarchy through demystifying the glory of that office. The occupant of Lagos house constitutionally have an expiry date but the office does not; the case of soldier go soldier come and the barrack remains.
