The Osolu of Irewe Kingdom in Ojo local government space of lagos State,
Oba Abedina Durosimi, has aforesaid the unsuccessful second term bid of outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, was the handicraft of traditional rulers and not Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a series of political intrigues resulting in the emergence of the APC governorship candidate for Lagos State, Ambode eventually lost the governorship price ticket to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who later emerged governor-elect of the state.
According to the traditional ruler, Tinubu, in contrast to Ambode, is a team player who seeks the advice of traditional rulers and makes them feel part of the process, when any call that affects the people is about to be made.
Durosimi aforesaid one of the reasons traditional rulers opposed Ambode’s second term bid was because he concentrated major developments in his Epe hometown.
He accused Ambode of undermining the Lagos master plan and questioned how a governor will abandon other areas and concentrate development in one area.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmen, printed on Wednesday, he said: “Tinubu influences people; he does not force or intimidate people to do his wish. He has regards for traditional institutions in lagos State. for instance, before any law is passed in Lagos State, they must bring it to the council of Obas which I’m a member for our assessment before it is taken to the state House of Assembly and the executive for final approval.
“Tinubu is a team player. He sees Obas as fathers and before he takes any decision that will affect the people, he will consult the traditional rulers. for instance, when leaders of his party and other well-meaning Lagosians were against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second term bid, Tinubu consulted wide as well the tradition rulers and we said we didn’t want Ambode to have a second term”
“The people were against Ambode, because he concentrated development in Epe are a where he comes from. Ambode undermined the lagos State master plan. we Obas opposed Ambode’s second bid not Tinubu.
How can the governor abandon other areas and concentrate development in one area? That was why we said we didn’t want him to continue.”