Tinubu meets with Sanwo-Olu, GAC, reportedly forgives Lagos governor

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday had a meeting with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

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Although Mr Sanwo-Olu told reporters after the meeting that it was a routine courtesy call on the president, who is on a working visit to Lagos, sources at the meeting told ThisDay newspaper that the meeting was to settle the rift between both men.

At the meeting held at the president’s private residence, he assured Mr Sanwo-Olu that “all his sins” have been forgiven, ThisDay newspaper reported.

**Tinubu meets with Sanwo-Olu, GAC, reportedly forgives Lagos governor**

PREMIUM TIMES reports that there have been rumours of a rift between the president and Mr Sanwo-Olu. Both men are members of the APC, and Mr Tinubu played a key role in getting Mr Sanwo-Olu elected as governor.

Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, has been the most influential politician in the state since he served as governor between 1999 and 2007.

The exact cause of the feud between both party leaders has been a subject of conjecture but Sunday’s meeting was believed to have been mediated by members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, an unconstitutional body considered the highest decision-making organ of the Lagos APC.

Sunday’s meeting was attended by Messrs Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu; members of the GAC; the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat.

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ThisDay reported that at the meeting, the Chairman of the GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, who welcomed Mr Tinubu to Lagos, pleaded with the president to forgive anyone who may have offended him, especially Mr Sanwo-Olu.

Mr Tinubu then reportedly declared, “It’s all over now. All is forgiven,” prompting Mr Sanwo-Olu and other GAC members to reportedly prostrate before him.

Months long rift

The exact reason for the strained relationship between Mr Sanwo-Olu and Mr Tinubu remains unclear. There were rumours that Mr Sanwo-Olu secretly contributed to the campaign finance of the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, who was the runner-up in the election behind Mr Tinubu. Atiku has, however, denied receiving any more from the Lagos governor.

Mr Sanwo-Olu’s role in the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Lagos Speaker is also believed to have infuriated the president. Mr Obasa is a key ally of the president and has been in the Lagos Assembly since Mr Tinubu was the state governor.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that on 13 January, Mr Obasa was removed as speaker by his fellow lawmakers over allegations of gross misconduct, financial misappropriation and abuse of office. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was appointed speaker of the assembly in his place.

Before the removal, Mr Obasa was alleged to have disrespected Mr Sanwo-Olu on several occasions, including when the governor presented the state’s budget before the parliament.

Mr Obasa, however, got back his seat as speaker with the support of Mr Tinubu.

As the months passed, many began to notice the widening gulf between Messrs Tinubu and Obasa,

At the inauguration of the phase 1 section of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway on Saturday, a video showed Mr Tinubu shaking hands with dignitaries in a row but not with the Lagos governor, who was also in the row, leading to suggestions that the president deliberately snubbed him.

Also, Mr Sanwo-Olu was conspicuously absent when Mr Tinubu launched the reconstruction of the deep-seaport access road in the state on Thursday. A seat labelled with the governor’s name was visibly empty, while his deputy, Mr Hamzat, occupied a seat behind it.

Sanwo-Olu denies rift

However, after Sunday’s meeting, Mr Sanwo-Olu denied any discord between himself and the president.

Speaking to reporters after the closed-door meeting, the governor said the rumours of a rift circulated in the media are baseless and untrue.

“Do you see any discord? Can’t you see when we are smiling, I’m smiling? There’s no (feu). He’s my father, he’s my leader,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the meeting with the president was a routine courtesy call by the GAC, which was in line with the party’s protocol.

“It’s our usual. You know, festive period Council visits and a time for Mr President to meet with his brothers, leaders of our party… It’s something that they always look forward to,” he said.