There are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress will present a Christian candidate for the 2015 governorship election in Lagos State.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that a national leader of the APC and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, may be backing a governorship aspirant in the state.
Tinubu was said to have introduced a former Permanent Secretary/Accountant-General of the Lagos State Government, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to the state local government chairmen as his choice aspirant at a meeting in Lagos penultimate week.
The opposition party has been in government in Lagos since the current democratic dispensation began in 1999 and all the governors have been Muslims.
A leader of party, who was privy to events at the meeting, told SUNDAY PUNCH in confidence on Friday that Tinubu allegedly nominated Ambode for the race.
The source said, “His name is Akinwunmi Ambode; he was a former Accountant-General. He has been chosen. The whole idea is that if they should put a Christian governor, it should be enough.
“It is very bad thing (imposition) and it is going to destroy the APC, if they are not careful.”
He further said a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, might be chosen as Ambode’s running mate.
The Publicity Secretary, APC, Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, however, denied knowledge of the development. He told said the opportunity was still open to all aspirants in the party.
He said, “I am not aware of that for now. All I know is that we are searching for the best candidate. Whether the person is a Christian or Muslim, it does not matter to us. All we want is somebody who is going to wear Governor Babatunde Fashola’s big shoes.”
