Sanwoolu, Ambode’s challenger, submits nomination forms

By Damola Emmanuel

Babajide Sanwoolu, the Managing Director of Lagos State Property Development Corporation, LSPDC, widely reported to be the preferred choice of the National Leader  of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, submitted his nomination forms at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

Sanwoolu submitted the forms to APC National Legal Adviser, Barrister Babatunde Ogala.

He was accompanied by Tinubu’s former Chief Detail, Tayo Ayinde, and James Odunbanmku, an APC chieftain in Lagos.

Despite widespread reports on Tinubu’salleged  instruction to loyalists to support the LSPDC boss to be the next governor of Lagos State, Sanwoolu, the man at the centre of it all, dismissed the allegation, although he acknowledged Tinubu’s role and influence in the party.

“I have just submitted my expression of interest and nomination forms to contest 2019 election under our great party,” he told journalists in the nation’s capital. “Just to formally let you know that, the exercise has been concluded and I will be taking formal declaration speech when I get back to Lagos State.

“Like I said, I am 53 years myself. There is no doubt that things would be said here and there. A man that is standing in front of you, fully grown-man with several years of experience… People have been asking questions, people are yet to know the kind of person I am.

“Like I said, it is about the Lagos of our dream, it is about the Lagos we want to take to the next level.

“I think it has nothing to do with our leader and there is no denial that he’s our national leader. And he takes back position not only in the state but in the national and you know he has interest in the well-being and improvement in Nigeria’s dream.

“So, by extension, Lagos is a dream that he is pertinent about and we will continue to refer to him as our leader but most important thing is: I am in front of you; this is who I am; this is what I have come to express to you; and Lagos, certainly, will be a better place to live for all us ”

To buttress that, Sanwoolu touted his vast experience in both the private and public sectors of the economy, declaring that he has what it takes to take Lagos to the next level.

“But why especially is to give my number of years of experience, the pedigree from the private sector and from the public sector, and I think it is appropriate for me now when people of Not-too-young-to-run are with us to put that aspiration in place,” he continued.

“I am in the wide range of experience as I have a dream to obviously contribute a lot more as a Lagosian and son of the soil, I will just be able to let our people get to where they know that governance is all about people, it is about what we expect, it is about what will go back to them, improve the cause of life, course of security and there are lot of other things we are going to be rolling out.”

He disclosed that he had been deeply involved in the policies and initiatives that have transformed Lagos State over the years.

On the notion that 57 local government chairmen in the state had endorsed him, Sanwoolu said: “In terms of endorsement, it is work in progress.  Soon, whoever emerges is the best. It will be very pre-emptive of me to stand before you and say I have been supported by 57 people. That means I am going to sleep. Mandate Group is my people; we are in the same family and we will continue to work together.

”At the end of the day, it is Lagosians that will elect us and we are not going to be restricted. We will get to everybody that we need to get to. We will not take anybody for granted.”