Oba Akiolu confirms rift between Tinubu & Fashola

That there was a rift between Governor Babatunde Fashola and his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at a time was yesterday confirmed by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu.

The monarch who spoke at the Blue Roof venue of an event marking the 2,900 days in office of Governor Fashola stated that it took his intervention, and the grace of God to reconcile the two of them.

It will be recalled that there have been many unconfirmed reports that there were serious disagreements between Tinubu and Fashola towards the end of Fashola’s first term in office as governor of Lagos State.

According to Oba Akiolu, there are many sycophants within the All Progressives Congress, APC, who instigated both Tinubu and Fashola against each other, adding that he was happy the rifts abated.

Oba Akiolu said: “I am not a partisan politician, but I am a politician of Iga Iduganran. I am not afraid of any person or anything. I can only fear God. I am also not afraid of death, but I am not going to die now. When there was a controversy between Tinubu and Fashola, all the elders and monarchs throughout the federation called me to intervene.

“They said I served in the Nigeria Police for 32 years and could not settle a conflict between my two sons. In the APC, there are people who are agents of conflicts. Such agents would go to my elder son and advise him against making peace with my younger son. The same people would go to my younger son and instigate him against my older son.

“But God can never be put to shame. So, I called the two of them separately. I told them they have to listen to me and that if they refused, I would hand off. To God be the glory, they listened to me.

“One of the elders in the party called me aside and advised me to leave Tinubu alone. That I should let them snatch the party away from him, since that was exactly what he did to Ganiyu Daudu and Alhaji Lateef Jakande. I told him that was not good. I told him God does not like that kind of approach.”

Oba Akiolu urged Lagosians to pray fervently for the Governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode, even as he advised Ambode against vengeance.

Said he: “Ambode will soon take over from Fashola. We should earnestly pray for him. I have told him not to revenge. I told him not to resume office with a vengeful heart. He should forget the past and move on. Among the people here, there are those who never wanted Ambode to emerge as governor of the state.

“Most of you are sycophants. Some of you are blood relations. But I told them Ambode was my candidate. All Lagos residents should pray that the labour of Tinubu should not be in vain.

“A lot of things have been happening. Some people have been telling General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) all sorts of things. The Awujale of Ijebuland and I have decided to meet Buhari because Lagos and the South West states must benefit from the Buhari administration.

“People who are now telling Buhari all sorts of things are sycophants. They did not want Buhari to win the presidential election".