By Egena Sunday Ode
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday led the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) to pay Sallah homage to President Bola Tinubu at his private residence in Ikoyi. Lagos.
The GAC, which consists of eminent politicians, bureaucrats and business moguls is the highest decision-making body for the Governor of Lagos State.
The Sallah visit after which the President took a group photograph with Sanwo-Olu and GAC members might have put to rest speculations of a deepening rift between President Tinubu and his God-son Sanwo-Olu.
There were media reports that the President had snubbed the Lagos Governor at different functions during his current visit to Lagos for Sallah and commissioning of some projects to mark his two years in office.
But Sanwo-Olu has dismissed the reports suggesting a festering feud brewing between him and President Tinubu, saying that some people are just crying f louder than the bereaved.
The governor’s denial notwithstanding, Sunday’s meeting between the two politicians is suggestive of a move for reconciliation.
The President had earlier received the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and the Alake of Egba Land before the arrival of Sanwo and GAC members.
After the meeting, the Lagos Governor hopped into a waiting, high capacity coaster bus (White) and departed the residence along with advisory council members.
Moments later, his Deputy Governor, Femi Hazmat, also departed amid cheers from onlookers as he waved in acknowledgement.
The perceived feud between President Tinubu and his long time political protege, Governor Sanwo-Olu had trended in the media fueling speculations of a love lost between the two leaders.
Reports had suggested that the alleged feud was precipitated by attempts by the Lagos governor to alter the political structure by moving against a key ally of Tinubu, leading to alleged sidelining of Sanwo-Olu in party affairs.
Such maneuvers, reportedly,
Neither President Tinubu nor Sanwo-Olu has publicly acknowledged any rift between them, but All Progressives Congress (APC) sources at the national, zonal, and state levels had reportedly confirmed the existence of a subtle but widening gulf between them.
Emerging from the meeting during the Sallah homage on Sunday, Sanwo-Olu dismissed any rift with President Tinubu, describing speculations in the media as “people crying more than the bereaved,” saying that the reports were baseless and misleading.
“Do you see any discord? Can’t you see when you are smiling, I’m smiling? There’s none (feud). He’s my father, he’s my leader.”
The Lagos State Governor further clarified that the Ikoyi meeting was a traditional courtesy visit by the GAC, a long-standing practice during festive periods.
“It’s our usual. You know, festive period Council visits and a time for Mr. President to meet with his brothers, leaders of our party… It’s something that they always look forward to.”
