After several denials and orchestrated public pretences, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Thursday confirmed to a gathering of Lagosians of different classes that Governor Babatunde Fashola and his predecessor, Bola Tinubu indeed had a bitter quarrel that almost undermined the governance of the state.
This came as Fashola openly apologised to all Lagos residents irrespective of class, ethnicity or religion, whom he said, might have been affected by different decisions he had taken in office.
The duo spoke at the Lagos TV complex, Agidingbi while marking Fashola’s 2,900th day in office, which was attended by former governors, former deputy governors, serving and former commissioners and traditional rulers among others.
Akiolu, who spoke in Yoruba language, said he did not realise the weight of the disagreement between the two (Fashola and Tinubu) until almost all the Obas in the state called his attention to the development.
The Lagos monarch said the concerned Obas had told him that if as a successful retired police officer with 32 years in service he could not hold down on Lagos as the Oba, then, there should be cause for concern.
Akiolu said it was at that point he waded in by calling both sides to sheath their swords and also extracted commitment to suspend the animosity in the collective interest of all Lagosians.
He noted that a majority of those responsible for the feud were also in the audience as they successfully created an industry in reporting to "Party A" what "Party B" had said about him and vice-versa. This trend, he added, escalated and prolonged the feud between the duo.
He therefore thanked the outgoing Governor Fashola for keeping his side of the truce treaty he brokered, an atmosphere he reckoned was largely responsible for the party's victory in the just concluded elections.
Not done, the monarch known for stirring the hornet's nest with his speeches, either in public or private, also announced to the gathering that he had warned the incoming administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode not to go to Alausa (referring to the Government House) with a notion of vengeance because it would be counterproductive.
"I told him not to resume office with vengeful heart. He should forget the past and move on with the affairs of the state immediately he assumes office.
“There are people in this place, who never wanted Ambode to emerge the Governor of Lagos. Most of you are sycophants. Some of them are blood relations. But I told them Ambode was my candidate despite their opposition.
“All Lagos residents should pray the labour of Tinubu should not be in vain. A lot of things have been happening now. Some people have been telling Buhari all sorts of things. Awujale and I have decided to meet Buhari because Lagos and South West states must benefit from the Buhari administration.
In the same vein, he accused some alleged fifth columnists as working against the choice of the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, some of whom he said were seated right in the audience.
The same people, he contended, have started pitting the duo of Tinubu and Buhari against each other the same way they set the former against Fashola.
Apparently carried away by the response he got from the audience, Akiolu soon threatened to name those he had alluded to in parables before he was immediately calmed down by Fashola, who pinched him and later led away from the podium by his police orderly.
At the forum, the monarch urged the religious leaders to earnestly pray for Ambode so he can perform in office better than all his predecessors, especially Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the incumbent governor, who would hand over to him on May 29.
“People, who are now telling Buhari all sorts of things, are sycophants. They did not want Buhari to emerge winner in the election. These people know themselves. When it gets to a stage, I will name them one after the other. I am not afraid of human beings,” Akiolu explained.
Also speaking at the forum, Fashola apologised to those who might have been hurt as a result of his decision, noting that as the state governor, he was called upon to take decisions every hour in the last eight years.
The governor said: “To those that I might have offended, I apologise. For 2900 days, I was called to make decisions every hour. I made decisions through treating millions of files on issues affecting residents of Lagos. I took those decisions in the best interest of the state. The decisions were taken based on the fact as presented to me.
“I could not have got all the decisions right. It is impossible. To those that we have not reached, please bear with us, the work will never finish. I am sure that our new governor will continue from where I stopped. This is the time to prepare for the change of baton. With the support of the residents of Lagos, your taxes, understanding and perseverance, honest criticism and prayers we may not have come this far,” Fashola pleaded