Leading stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos State are gathering today to take briefings from party leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu amidst apprehensions on the intentions of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

It was yet unclear as at press time yesterday, if Tinubu, the undisputed leader of the party in Lagos and the Southwest would dwell on the mutterings by some party leaders that Governor Ambode is halfhearted, if not, funding the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship campaign as payback for the way he was stopped from seeking a second term.

Close associates of the outgoing governor, however, deny the claim and allege a conspiracy by the mainstream of the party to paint the governor black for whatever purpose. Governor Ambode’s associates say that despite collapsing his campaign structure into that of Sanwo-Olu and professing loyalty to the party that the outgoing governor is still held in suspicion over his intentions.

It is also reported that the governor’s invitations to the Sanwo-Olu camp for harmonization of campaign had remained unheeded until last week. The mutterings and suspicions in the party follow the October primaries in which Sanwo-Olu, the anointed candidate of Tinubu and the mainstream of the party outwitted the incumbent governor for the party’s governorship ticket.

It was the first time since the advent of the Fourth Republic, nay since the creation of the state that a sitting governor in the state would be denied a return ticket. Following the declaration of Sanwo-Olu as the party’s candidate, Governor Ambode had done a volte-face and openly endorsed him and pledged support for him and the party to win all elections in the state. His declaration and actions have, however, not excited many following reports now and then of alleged plans by the governor to back the PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje at the last minute.

At the centre of the musings gathered is the report that Ambode has not released money to the Sanwo-Olu campaign and even blocked channels for such. That suspicion was not helped by the recent defection to the PDP of Mr. Olawale Oluwo, the immediate past commissioner for energy from the party. That defection sent strong signals to some observers who claimed that Oluwo, from the same Epe base of the governor was acting a script by Ambode. Oluwo’s defection was seen by some as indicative of the governor’s proclivity given that the former commissioner was one of the closest to the governor and part of his inner caucus.

The governor was, however, quick to denounce Oluwo and deny any dealing between the two of them concerning the governorship election. His antagonists within the party, however, do not believe him with one such critic saying: “I can tell you that what Ambode said was a damage control attempt after we confronted him with proofs of his double-dealing. He goes to the public to say he is supporting the party’s choice, Sanwo-Olu, but he is doing the opposite in reality. We are aware of the unwholesome activities of people he sent to be part of the campaign team for the party in the state but these moles only come to our meetings to gather information and pass on to the enemy.”

Some mainstream APC activists allege that the governor has besides not funding the APC machine, is also alleged to be funding the PDP campaign with the intention of ensuring the defeat of his party’s candidate in the election.

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