My ambition not about Tinubu, Ambode’s challenger declares

One of the governorship aspirants challenging the incumbent governor of Lagos state for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that his ambition to replace Akinwunmi Ambode in 2019 has nothing to do with the National Leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The aspirant, who has reportedly been endorsed by Tinubu and many APC stakeholders in Lagos, explained that his ambition “is about the Lagos we want to take to the next level”.
Speaking yesterday at the APC national secretariat, shortly after he returned his nomination form, SanwoOlu declared that his government would place the people as its priority.
Sanwo-Olu said he would use his depth of experience to develop the state of his birth and ensure that Lagosians get to know that governance is all about people.
“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 grownman with several years of experience, 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.” When asked whether he will feel betrayed if he is in governor Ambode’s position now, he said: “The truth is, I am not in his shoes.
But the truth about the matter is, what has been generating issue about me is a reflection of how people have come to understand the person I am.
“A whole lot of us have to redefine the Lagos project and it is not before where I will begin to rate you debate many first that people think we are done with some other individuals, there are real people behind them that have offered those initiatives and I discovered those initiatives, that have brought out those policies, that have brought out those implementations of various plans.
“There are so many first that can begin to attribute to my name in the eleven years that I have had to do with public service.
Like I said, I had served three different governors, I have served two different ministries, two different times at governor’s office, heading the biggest different agencies of government.
“You know, the blueprint we had been looking at since 1999, some of us put it together.
So, it is not an offence, no doubt about that, it is politics and this era we are into right now and for me as a 53-year-old man, it is now, when I did preach to my kids that whatever you believe in, stay on the course.
If I cannot also do what I preach, then, I will begin to regret when I am 75 and I would say I didn’t do what I need to do.”