Tinubu formally endorses Sanwo-Olu

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally endorsed Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu as the preferred candidate for the All Progressives Congress in the upcoming governorship election in Lagos, ending weeks of speculation about where he stands on the stand-off between the challenger and incumbent governor, Akinwumi Ambode.

In a statement Sunday evening, Mr Tinubu said the blueprint of Lagos State, his brainchild between 1999-2007, has been deviated from by Mr Ambode, calling on APC members in Lagos to reject the governor at the primaries on Monday.

The statement comes shortly after Mr Ambode used a televised press conference to launch a barrage of personal attacks against Mr Sanwo-Olu, ridiculing him as an alleged criminal and mental health patient before proclaiming him unfit for governor on those grounds.

Mr Sanwo-Olu has not responded to the attacks, but his aides said a decision is being made between holding a counter presser or simply drafting a statement in response. Mr Sanwo-Olu has served Lagos State in several capacity, including as commissioner.

He has emerged as the front-runner for the APC governorship ticket since he purchased his party nomination form about two weeks ago. He candidacy, which had long been rumoured as the handiwork of Mr Tinubu, was propelled by the endorsement of 36 out of 40 House of Assembly members and all the 57 local council chairpersons.