The Rise and Fall of Akinwunmi Ambode...
The Rise And Fall Of Akinwunmi Ambode, By Kayode Ogundamisi
The “Baba Sope” Political Ideology and Myth of Yoruba Omoluabi Ethos
It is faulty to equate the deep loyalty Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu attracts in Lagos as exemplary of ‘Omoluabi loyalty’ or being reflective of the ethos of the entire Yoruba or South-West populace. The Ondo State electorate will argue, for example, that they “liberated” themselves from this without compromising the ‘Omoluabi’ ethos.
This piece was written by Kayode Ogundamisi. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 360Nobs.com.
In the 2012 Ondo State governorship election, the current governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, as candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), was perceived as a “Tinubu imposed” candidate. He ran against the then incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, and the people of Ondo State rejected Akeredolu.
I recall stomping across Ondo during that election, as excited crowds in the State could not but approve, with songs and folk songs, as Mimiko invoked the tradition of the people not to take any imposition from “outsiders’.
Then throughout most of the nooks and crannies in Ondo State, the campaign was more about resisting Tinubu than being a verdict on Mimiko’s performance. Mimiko did not have to say much about his performance during his first term in office, it was almost above those of his peers, particularly in terms of education and health care. His Abiye healthcare project was celebrated even by his opponents.
In 2016 when Akeredolu was to run again, ironically against a candidate handpicked by Olusegun Mimiko, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), he presented himself as an independent candidate, his own man, and not only did he defeat Tinubu’s anointed candidate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, he also canvassed for votes while reminding the people of Ondo State of how they should not let outsiders chose for them. Akeredolu won against the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and today the rest is history. A number of other factors contributed to the victories in the 2012 and 2016 elections of Mimiko and Akeredolu.
Ambode As Ambode’s Achilles Heel
A lot has been written about current governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, yet the irony is that Ambode’s problem wasn’t his godfather, former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but he (Akinwunmi Ambode) was his own problem.
Power overwhelmed the governor, and he completely detached himself from the strong political party structure. A party that has been in power in Lagos since 1999 is not the kind that you ride on and ignore. You may ignore the man who brought you in from obscurity, but to survive, you need to be an exceptional performer and keep your party structure happy. Ambode did not read the handover notes of Governor Babatunde Fashola. If he had, he would not be facing the political battle of his life. The people stood with his predecessor, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, even when the body language of his godfather was hostile, and then the mighty Tinubu knew moving against Fashola would have been political suicide for him.
The Mafioso Nature of the APC In Lagos
The Lagos APC power structure is filled with contradictions. It is sometimes progressive, at other times self-serving, but mostly it operates like the mafia in its highly close knit nature. Those who control the party at every level expect absolute loyalty, with no questions asked. It reflects most political parties in Nigeria; and even the newly formed ones are mirroring the model, which they have improved on. Six of the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registered political parties have founders, who are also the party chairmen/women and also the sole presidential candidates.
The Lagos civil service is an extension of the party structure. If you come in as a governor
The “Baba Sope” Political Ideology and Myth of Yoruba Omoluabi Ethos
It is faulty to equate the deep loyalty Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu attracts in Lagos as exemplary of ‘Omoluabi loyalty’ or being reflective of the ethos of the entire Yoruba or South-West populace. The Ondo State electorate will argue, for example, that they “liberated” themselves from this without compromising the ‘Omoluabi’ ethos.
This piece was written by Kayode Ogundamisi. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 360Nobs.com.
In the 2012 Ondo State governorship election, the current governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, as candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), was perceived as a “Tinubu imposed” candidate. He ran against the then incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, and the people of Ondo State rejected Akeredolu.
I recall stomping across Ondo during that election, as excited crowds in the State could not but approve, with songs and folk songs, as Mimiko invoked the tradition of the people not to take any imposition from “outsiders’.
Then throughout most of the nooks and crannies in Ondo State, the campaign was more about resisting Tinubu than being a verdict on Mimiko’s performance. Mimiko did not have to say much about his performance during his first term in office, it was almost above those of his peers, particularly in terms of education and health care. His Abiye healthcare project was celebrated even by his opponents.
In 2016 when Akeredolu was to run again, ironically against a candidate handpicked by Olusegun Mimiko, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), he presented himself as an independent candidate, his own man, and not only did he defeat Tinubu’s anointed candidate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, he also canvassed for votes while reminding the people of Ondo State of how they should not let outsiders chose for them. Akeredolu won against the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and today the rest is history. A number of other factors contributed to the victories in the 2012 and 2016 elections of Mimiko and Akeredolu.
Ambode As Ambode’s Achilles Heel
A lot has been written about current governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, yet the irony is that Ambode’s problem wasn’t his godfather, former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but he (Akinwunmi Ambode) was his own problem.
Power overwhelmed the governor, and he completely detached himself from the strong political party structure. A party that has been in power in Lagos since 1999 is not the kind that you ride on and ignore. You may ignore the man who brought you in from obscurity, but to survive, you need to be an exceptional performer and keep your party structure happy. Ambode did not read the handover notes of Governor Babatunde Fashola. If he had, he would not be facing the political battle of his life. The people stood with his predecessor, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, even when the body language of his godfather was hostile, and then the mighty Tinubu knew moving against Fashola would have been political suicide for him.
The Mafioso Nature of the APC In Lagos
The Lagos APC power structure is filled with contradictions. It is sometimes progressive, at other times self-serving, but mostly it operates like the mafia in its highly close knit nature. Those who control the party at every level expect absolute loyalty, with no questions asked. It reflects most political parties in Nigeria; and even the newly formed ones are mirroring the model, which they have improved on. Six of the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registered political parties have founders, who are also the party chairmen/women and also the sole presidential candidates.
The Lagos civil service is an extension of the party structure. If you come in as a governor
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