Tinubu Lists Ground Rules for Aspirants

All Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has listed the ground rules for all 13 aspirants for the governorship ticket of the party in Lagos State.

At a meeting with the aspirants alongside major party stakeholders in attendance Sunday night, Tinubu called for fair play from them even as he assured of a level playing ground in the contest to succeed outgoing governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The aspirants present at the meeting included Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Supo Sashore, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Dr. Femi Hamzat among others.

Party stakeholders present at the meeting hosted by Tinubu at his Bourdillion, Ikoyi Lagos residence included former acting national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, state chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale among others.

Tinubu who presided at the meeting, it was learnt, told the aspirants he was not personally involved with any of the candidates as has been previously reported even as he assured them of a level playing ground.

The meeting with aspirants is in the wake of what is being promised as a major challenge to Tinubu’s political dominance of the state from within and outside the party. A number of stakeholders have protested the alleged endorsement by major party officials.

The meeting lasted from 8.30 p.m. till about 10.00 pm, a source revealed.

“Asiwaju assured the aspirants that there will be primaries and that it would be open and transparent as he assured the aspirants to apply fair play in their campaigns,” the source revealed.

The APC leader also got a commitment from the aspirants to ensure that whoever loses does not rock the boat and that they should all back whoever emerges as candidate of the party.

Another source disclosed: “Our leaders advised us to take things easy. They promised to be fair to all of us. He (Tinubu) made it clear that there is no plan for consensus candidate.”

“But they asked us to work ahead of primaries. In fact, they all insisted on primaries and no suggestion of consensus candidate came up. Tinubu implored that whoever loses should take it in the spirit of sportsmanship, with the assurance that all will be given a level playing field.”

Following the Sunday night meeting, Tinubu had another meeting with only the aspirants yesterday during which he was understood to have reiterated the issues canvassed on Sunday night.