Ambode endorses Sanwo-Olu, advocates conciliation in APC

• Tinubu lauds gov for accepting outcome of party primaries
Apparently living out the pater noster admonition in the Bible, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has made up with his erstwhile rivals in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries and gone further to back them for the 2019 governorship polls.

With his deputy, Ranti Adebule, the governor endorsed the APC candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his running mate, Obafemi Hamzat.

The endorsement, which took place during a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos at the instance of the national leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, and members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), put to rest speculations that the incumbent might not support Sanwo-Olu, who defeated him at the party primaries of October 2 and denied him a second term ticket.

Before the endorsement, there had been allusions that Ambode refused to fund Sanwo-Olu’s campaign, but was secretly supporting and financing another candidate on a different platform.

Addressing the meeting attended by GAC members, serving lawmakers in the state among other leaders, Ambode appealed to aggrieved members to let go of their anger and support the party in the 2019 election.

Tinubu also appealed to the politically aggrieved to accept the party’s supremacy.

He said: “What is next now is for us to see the official list from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). That is why we have not launched official campaign. But this is mini campaign.

“What is important is where Nigeria is going. Here in Lagos, we must maintain a strong outing for APC; the party of progress, the party of development.”

He commended Ambode and other party members for accepting the outcome of the primaries, saying that their act of sportsmanship deserved to be appreciated.

Tinubu added: “I thank all of you for respecting the party, particularly the present governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and his deputy, [Ranti] Idiat Adebule. May God continue to bless and guide you. You will live long with everlasting progress.”

While recalling that the direct primary option adopted for the shadow election was taken after a GAC meeting, Tinubu said it was gratifying that all members of the party accepted and endorsed the decision.