All Progressives Congress, APC national leader,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has listed the ground rules for all 13 aspirants for the
governorship ticket of the party in Lagos State.
At a meeting with the aspirants alongside major
party stakeholders in attendance Sunday night, Tinubu called for fair play from
them even as he assured of a level playing ground in the contest to succeed
outgoing governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.
The aspirants present at the meeting included Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Supo Sashore, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Dr.
Femi Hamzat among others.
Party stakeholders present at the meeting hosted by
Tinubu at his Bourdillion, Ikoyi Lagos residence included former acting
national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, state chairman of the party,
Chief Henry Ajomale among others.
Tinubu who presided at the meeting, it was learnt,
told the aspirants he was not personally involved with any of the candidates as
has been previously reported even as he assured them of a level playing ground.
The meeting with aspirants is in the wake of what
is being promised as a major challenge to Tinubu’s political dominance of the
state from within and outside the party. A number of stakeholders have
protested the alleged endorsement by major party officials.
The meeting lasted from 8.30 p.m. till about 10.00
pm, a source revealed.
“Asiwaju assured the aspirants that there will be
primaries and that it would be open and transparent as he assured the aspirants
to apply fair play in their campaigns,” the source revealed.
The APC leader also got a commitment from the
aspirants to ensure that whoever loses does not rock the boat and that they
should all back whoever emerges as candidate of the party.
Another source disclosed: “Our leaders advised us
to take things easy. They promised to be fair to all of us. He (Tinubu) made it
clear that there is no plan for consensus candidate.”
“But they asked us to work ahead of primaries. In
fact, they all insisted on primaries and no suggestion of consensus candidate
came up. Tinubu implored that whoever loses should take it in the spirit of
sportsmanship, with the assurance that all will be given a level playing
field.”
Following the Sunday night meeting, Tinubu had
another meeting with only the aspirants yesterday during which he was
understood to have reiterated the issues canvassed on Sunday night.