Tinubu, left and Ambode

By Olawale Olaleye

I honestly didn’t think Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would not be granted a second term opportunity, but I knew he would have problems later. Two early signs tipped me off.

First, in the lead up to his primary election, when other contestants protested alleged plan to impose him, a meeting of all aspirants was called to the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The heated meeting was far gone after dragging back and forth on whether to conduct primary or pick a consensus choice, when Ambode glibly told his co-contestants that whether or not there was a primary, he already knew the result.

That comment, laced with a whiff of arrogance, drew the ire of others, as one aspirant particularly asked him to shed more light on his statement. At the end of the day, he was compelled to apologise and he did.

The second sign was during former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s last briefing on his administration at the Blue Roof, LTV 8, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Done addressing the people on his eight years in office, the governor yielded space for the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, who upon mounting the stage said something curious. Not many people paid attention but as a reporter snooping around for news, I did from the comfort of my living room, where I was monitoring the event that was beamed live.

On national television, the king assured Fashola he had spoken to Ambode, that whatever differences they had must be done away with and that they must work together as a team. He said he had already counseled Ambode against witch-hunt and victimisation.

Although the former governor smiled and only shook hands with the Oba, you can’t but ponder the basis for such a statement that was tangentially extraneous from the Oba. He knew what he was saying. Evidently!

I called my boss, @ijeomanwogwugwu and narrated this. A typical news hunter, she said that’s hot news, please, do a story immediately. Indeed, it was front-page the next day. It was a subtle warning. I knew it.

Later that night, I spoke to BRF too and asked what the Oba meant. Typical of BRF, he dismissed it and said “Kabiyesi was just joking. That is the way he does. He is our father. Besides, I don’t have any problem with Akin.” But a man of my age cannot afford to be stupid. I knew something was amiss.

On the first, as he had said, the result showed he knew what he was saying. On the second, did he not go after BRF and everything that had his name etched on it, even after running round Lagos campaigning for him? It was indeed, the beginning of his now infamous fall. So many lessons from Ambode’s misuse of power. May he find consolation in some of his touted good deeds. Ameen!