Ambode accepts defeat, congratulates Sanwo-Olu
Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, has accepted his loss of the gubernatorial primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), congratulating Babajide Sanwo-Olu, winner of the exercise.
Sanwo-Olu polled 970,851 votes ahead of the governor who secured 72,901 votes.
In his address, Ambode said APC is a great party, appealing to residents of the state to give Sanwo-Olu the needed support in the 2019 election.
“Fellow Lagosians, the last few days have witnessed intense political activities that have gripped the attention of the nation and created palpable tension in the polity,” he said.
“I strongly believe that the time has now come for the State to move forward in order that the gains of the last three and half years are not lost.
Dear Lagosians, APC is a great party and the interests of our beloved State must always supercede 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.”
He also promised to ensure a smooth transition. Ambode thanked Bola Tinubu, his estrange godfather.
The governor also expressed gratitude to the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve.
“As governor, I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition in the remaining period of this administration and ultimately to the new Governor, come May 2019,” he said.
“I therefore appeal to all our party members that we remain one family and unite behind the candidate of the party, so that we can continue to move this state forward.
“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.
“I wish to use this opportunity to thank our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the leadership of our great party at state and national levels, all party faithfuls and all Lagosians.
“I thank all Lagosians for their faith and trust in me. I urge you not to relent in your support for our party as we prepare for the general election.”
Since the return of democracy in 1999, Ambode is the first governor of the state to serve a term.
Its actually a painful thing that the jagaban of Lagos State succeeded in dumping ambode. infact its unheard of for the incumbent governor to loose in the primaries. Ambode has no choice, he has to accept the defeat so he doesnt loose a lot on the long run. I know Lagos state would be better someday.
Ambode was not a bad governor, though he could have done better. His major weak areas of performance were: his inability to keep Lagos clean, the utter neglect of inner roads, and the power-drunken manner in which he sacked the Chaplain of the state Chapel, just because the wife felt offended at a minor issue.
The agonies people suffer as they pass through such inner roads as Kogberegbe, Akinbaiye (that passed through the Obas Palace) in Isolo, or the utterly abandoned roads as Femi Kila, Owolabi, Aregbe, among scores of other roads in Okota – could not make Lagosians to stand up for Ambode in his period of travails, as they did for Fashola some 8 years ago.
Though Lagosians are troubled that they have become mere pawns in the Chessboard of political godfathers, we only hope that Ambode will do his best to address the grievous neglect of inner roads, keep Lagos clean and strive to complete many ongoing projects in his remaining few months, if only for the sake of history.