Tinubu to Sanwo-Olu: Your sins are forgiven

Tinubu to Sanwo-Olu: Your sins are forgiven

There are strong indications that President Bola Tinubu may have reconciled with his political protégé, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, following an undisclosed political dispute.

Despite Sanwo-Olu’s efforts to keep the matter off the public, speculation about their strained relationship intensified after Tinubu snubbed him during the commissioning of the 30Km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

It has been widely acknowledged that tensions arose between the two over the removal of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa—a move Tinubu reportedly did not support and allegedly blamed Sanwo-Olu for orchestrating among lawmakers.

However, the rift seems to have been resolved, as Tinubu publicly extended his forgiveness during a weekend meeting with members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Sanwo-Olu, and other APC leaders in the state who visited to pay homage during sallah celebration.

GAC member, Chief Muraina Taiwo, on Sunday, confirmed that the rift between Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu, is now over.

Taiwo said, “Everything they are saying, God has resolved it. The father (Tinubu) has drawn his son (Sanwo-Olu) closer, and the son has also hugged his father; we are now one in Lagos State.

“It only looked like that, but currently, we are in the meeting, and God has done it.”

This came after a former governor of Ogun State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Olusegun Osoba, also on Sunday, said the leaders of the party were working to resolve the differences between the President and Sanwo-Olu.

Osoba said he may not be able to divulge to the public exactly what the leaders were doing to reunite the President and the governor, adding, however, that the leaders were not keeping quiet as he promised that everything would end well.

The former governor said “You don’t expect that an elder like me will divulge what we are doing and you should know that we will not keep quiet and allow the whole thing fester beyond control.

“After all, I am involved in Lagos and Rivers issues, so the elders are not keeping quiet and we are assuring the nation that all will be well.”

The inquiry followed speculations in the public space that there may have been a rift between the President and the governor.

Though the governor was on hand to welcome the President to Lagos on his recent trip, the camaraderie between the two was not usual.

At the inauguration of the completed 30km of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lagos, on May 31, videos which went viral on social media show the President snubbed Sanwo-Olu during the exchange of pleasantries.

Also, in an unusual turn of events, Sanwo-Olu was absent when Tinubu unveiled the reconstructed 27km Lekki Deep Seaport road on Thursday, sparking concerns about a strained relationship between the duo.

Similarly, Sanwo-Olu’s deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, who was present at the event, did not make any speech on behalf of the state or the governor.

On Saturday, the picture of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, paying homage to Tinubu, went viral on social media, putting further concerns on the strained relationship of the President with Sanwo-Olu.

However, on Sunday, the picture of the President with Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, Obasa, and GAC members was shared by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, on his X handle, calming frayed nerves.

A source close to Obasa claimed on Sunday that the rift between the duo did not only stem from the Lagos assembly crisis but had spiralled down from allegations that the governor funded the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The claim has, however, been debunked by the Presidency and Atiku himself, although Sanwo-Olu did not speak on the issue.

Atiku denied claims that he received funds from Sanwo-Olu to finance his 2023 presidential campaign.

In a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku described the allegation as a baseless smear campaign.

Some media reports around the time suggested that Sanwo-Olu’s political future could be in jeopardy after the President allegedly found out that the governor gave Atiku funds for his campaign.

The reports stated that security intelligence informed President Tinubu that anti-corruption agents discovered funds from Sanwo-Olu’s alleged associate, Aisha Achimugu, which somehow made its way to Atiku of the opposition PDP.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had also dismissed claims linking its investigation of Achimugu to Atiku and Sanwo-Olu.

The commission had declared the businesswoman and socialite wanted in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.

Meanwhile, a source said, “It is established that there is a rift (between the President and governor). From what I gathered, it was because Sanwo-Olu was said to have given Atiku money during his campaign.

“Recall that at some point, Sanwo-Olu also approached the court to seek an injunction against the EFCC from probing him. The following day, Sanwo-Olu denied it.”

He alleged that the strained relationship led to the governor’s move.

“The Obasa’s issue is just the last straw that broke the camel’s back,” the source added.