“Nobody is going to hand over that ticket to him but on a silver platter. For now, the Mandate Movement is still standing on Sanwo-Olu. But the GAC’s decision is important.”
Barring any unforeseen development, the Governor Advisory Council will meet on Saturday night (today) to conclude all matter concerning the Lagos State ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
GAS is the highest advisory body of the APC in Lagos and its verdict on any issue is the law.
It was gathered on Friday that the body would meet on Saturday and recommend the aspirant that could get the state for the party.
The incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, had declared his interest for a second term in office.
Two other aspirants have also obtained forms to vie for the ticket with him.
They are former commissioners in the state – Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Femi Hamzat.
Sanwo-Olu has however got the backing of the Mandate Movement in the Lagos APC.
The Mandate Movement is led by the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was Ambode’s political godfather.
The chairmen of the 57 councils have also declared support for Sanwo-Olu.
The governor and Tinubu have been in the news in the past few days because of an alleged rift over the second term bid of Ambode.
Tinubu has refused to back Ambode’s second term ambition despite pleas by notable people in the state and the country.
Sanwo-Olu on Sunday formally declared his intention to vie for the Lagos State governorship ticket of the APC, promising to restore the glory of the state if elected.
Notable APC leaders in the state, who were either allies of Tinubu or his followers, were at the declaration.
Sources told our correspondent on Friday that although the governor met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, nothing had changed.
One of them said, “Nobody is going to hand over that ticket to him but on a silver platter. For now, the Mandate Movement is still standing on Sanwo-Olu. But the GAC’s decision is important.”
However, it was learnt that divergent opinions were beginning to come out of the Tinubu-led group.
A source, however, said on Saturday that divergent opinions were normal and nothing to worry about.
A close friend of the governor also said the feeling in the governor’s camp was getting better.
He said, “There is a meeting tomorrow (Saturday) which will highly influence where the Mandate Movement and the APC will tilt towards. We think there is hope in the horizon.”