Sanwo-Olu’s sin against Tinubu linked to ‘funding’ Atiku’s presidential election in 2023
A member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Muraina Taiwo, has confirmed that the alleged rift between President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been resolved.
Taiwo, in a telephone interview with Punch on Sunday, stated that the misunderstanding was now a thing of the past.
“Everything they are saying, God has resolved it. The father (Tinubu) has drawn his son (Sanwo-Olu) closer, and the son has also hugged his father; we are now one in Lagos State,” he said.
“It only looked like that, but currently, we are in the meeting, and God has done it.”
Former Ogun State Governor and APC chieftain, Olusegun Osoba, also disclosed that party leaders had been working behind the scenes to mend the relationship.
“You don’t expect that an elder like me will divulge what we are doing. But know that we will not keep quiet and allow the whole thing fester beyond control,” Osoba said.
“After all, I am involved in the Lagos and Rivers issues. We are assuring the nation that all will be well.”
Background of the Rift
The reconciliation follows weeks of speculation over Tinubu’s perceived coldness toward Sanwo-Olu. At the May 31 inauguration of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, videos circulated showing the President allegedly ignoring the governor during greetings.
Sanwo-Olu was also absent at the May 29 commissioning of the Lekki Deep Seaport Road, with his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, attending but not speaking—an unusual occurrence. The governor was in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during Sallah, further fueling speculation.
Allegations of Atiku Funding
Sources claim the rift predates the recent Lagos Assembly crisis and stems from allegations that Sanwo-Olu funded Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign.
“It is established that there is a rift. From what I gathered, it was because Sanwo-Olu was said to have given Atiku money during his campaign,” a source told Punch.
Both the Presidency and Atiku’s camp have denied the claims. Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, dismissed it as a “baseless smear campaign.”
Signs of Reconciliation
On Sunday, Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, shared a photo of the President with Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, and other Lagos leaders on X, signaling restored unity.
While the exact details of the reconciliation remain undisclosed, APC leaders insist the crisis has been resolved.
—Additional reporting by Punch Newspapers