The former Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake, has shared light on the reason former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode did not get a second term ticket.
Alake who is now the Director of Media and Communications of the Campaign Council of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate said Ambode didn’t get a second term ticket because incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu defeated him at the 2018 primaries.
Ambode reportedly went against the leadership of the party controlled by Tinubu which led to his defeat.
Alake, while speaking during a Twitter Space session hosted by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Media Centre, on Sunday explained that Tinubu did not take the ticket from Ambode.
Alake said Ambode contested the governorship primaries with Babajide Sanwo-Olu and lost.
Speaking on the incident, Alake who was the Commissioner for Information and Strategy during Tinubu’s administration said that contrary to what people think his principal did not deny Ambode the second term ticket.
He said, “In political competition, there must be supporters here and there. Yes, Fashola’s successor (Ambode) came into office, and he was supported by Asiwaju as Asiwaju supported Fashola. But let me use this opportunity to clear one point, a misconception that Ambode wasn’t given a second term. It is not true.
“The governorship mandate is not for Asiwaju to give or take. It is for the people of Lagos State to give or take or withdraw.
“Ambode was in office, for whatever reason he might have committed, of course, he did commit gaps and faux pas but he also went through the election.
“Maybe people have forgotten or they have selective amnesia, Ambode went through the political process and lost.
“Asiwaju did not take the ticket from him. He contested the primaries with Babajide Sanwo-Olu and lost.
“The primary was conducted in the open all over the state and the media covered it and it was shown everywhere. Why do people always succumb to such partisanship occasioned by blind prejudices?
“Yes it was Asiwaju’s right to support any candidate or aspirant, it is a natural phenomenon.”
