Umar Sani, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has alleged that Bola Ahmed Tinubu exercises authoritarian control over Lagos politics, pointing to the removal of former governor Akinwunmi Ambode as evidence.
In an interview with SYMFONI TV, Sani explained that Tinubu has built a political structure in Lagos that dictates who holds office.
He noted that although Ambode was widely acknowledged as a good governor, he was denied a second term because he did not meet Tinubu’s expectations.
Sani also questioned Tinubu’s democratic credentials, arguing that a true democrat should remain cordial with rivals after elections.
He highlighted that Tinubu’s relationships with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi deteriorated after they contested against him in the 2023 presidential primaries.
According to him,
Ambode, everybody agrees, was a good governor, but he didn’t meet the threshold of Tinubu, and he was removed. A person you call a democrat is somebody that will contest against certain people and still be very friendly with them.”
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