Umar Sani, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu holds strong control over political activities in Lagos State.
Naija News reports that he made the claim while speaking in an interview on SYMFONI TV, where he pointed to past political events in the state as part of his argument.
Sani said the way former Lagos governor Akinwunmi Ambode was removed from office after one term shows how political decisions are shaped in Lagos.
He stated that Ambode was seen by many as a good governor, but still did not get a second term because he did not meet Tinubu’s political expectations.
He also questioned Tinubu’s democratic behaviour, saying that a true democrat should be able to maintain friendly ties with political opponents even after elections.
He added that Tinubu’s relationship with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi became strained after they contested against him during the 2023 presidential primaries.
Sani maintained that these patterns show how political loyalty and competition play out within Tinubu’s circle, especially in Lagos politics, where decisions about leadership are closely tied to his influence.
He said: “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.”
