society
Stand Down Or Face Impeachment, Tinubu’s Camp Threatens Ambode
As high-wired intrigues continue to play out in Lagos State over the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode’s re-election bid, competent sources saturday revealed that a key segment of the party led by the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has asked the governor to stand down his second term bid or face impeachment. The threat to impeach the governor is an escalation of pressure being piled on him to drop his quest for second term.
A competent party source sympathetic to the governor, who demanded annonimity since he was not authorised to speak on the intrigues and power play currently playing out informed THISDAY yesterday, “they are threatening to impeach him should he refused to bow to their demand to withdraw. The incumbent governor, who is traditionally entitled to another term is being harassed and intimidated by Tinubu’s political machine to withdraw for their new man, even though the governor had agreed to subject himself to primary. They are boasting that they will direct the State House of Assembly to immediatly begin impeachment proceedings against him.”
The APC had initially insisted on conducting direct primary election to select its governorship candidate in the spirit of democracy. But it suddenly reversed itself, directing Ambode to withdraw from the contest to enable the party present Sanwo-Olu as the consensus candidate.
It also emerged yesterday via a statement from the Vice President’s office denying endorsing Sanwo-Olu. “It was while he was coming out of the GAC meeting that Mr. Sanwo-Olu and Mr. Hamzat took advantage of the VP’S presence to take the photos which are now being falsely paraded as proof of endorsement.
“The VP did not go there to endorse Sanwo-Olu., they only took advantage of his presence,” a source at the meeting confirmed last night.”
Rather, sources at the GAC meetings hinted that Prof Osinbajo, who is believed to be supportive of a second term bid for Ambode, conveyed the view of the Buhari presidency that there should be a level playing field in the overall conduct of the primaries.
Party chieftains spoke with THISDAY yesterday in confidence on the drama that took place at the meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) held Friday night. They disclosed that the APC leader threatened to impeach Ambode if the governor refused “to step down for Sanwo-Olu.” Ambode was said to have looked him squarely in the face and refused.
But Ambode Mandate Support Group condemned the call for the governor’s withdrawal as undemocratic. The group also reacted to the postponement of the APC governorship primary in the state, which has now been scheduled for October 1, saying they were confident that Ambode would fly the party’s flag in 2019 election as it has received overwhelming support from several quarters for him.
There has been uncertainty about governor’s re-election after Sanwo-Olu, currently the managing director of Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), and former commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, declared their intention to challenge the governor in a primary contest.
As a result, the Mandate Movement, a powerful political machine of Tinubu, endorsed Sanwo-Olu for the governorship contest, heating up the state’s political climate ahead of the primary election.
Ambode’s travails had attracted the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari; former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF); and the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF). They all tried to persuade Tinubu to make up with Ambode.
With the presidential intervention, Tinubu decided to consult the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the state’s highest advisory political organ, comprising 22 APC chieftains across the three senatorial districts. But in its resolution, the GAC directed Ambode and two other aspirants to face the direct primary election.
At the GAC meeting held at Tinubu’s residence, Bourdillion, Ikoyi, Friday night, one of the party chieftains explained how Ambode addressed the leaders of the GAC, justifying point by point the reasons he decided to seek re-election in 2019.
Specifically, according to the chieftain, Ambode hinged his re-election bid on the need to complete various infrastructure projects and urban renewal programmes that his administration initiated in the last three years.
Despite his justifying his re-election bid, the party chieftain stated that Lagos Central APC leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, asked the governor “to step down for Sanwo-Olu. He claimed that the GAC had already endorsed Sanwo-Olu as the party’s consensus candidate.”
Another party chieftain revealed that a member of the GAC, Prof. Tunde Samuel, interrupted Olusi while he was telling Ambode to withdraw from the race, observing that Olusi’s statement did not reflect a common position of all GAC members that all aspirants should face primary contest.
In response to Olusi, however, the party chieftain claimed that Ambode simply told the meeting that he “will not step down for any governorship aspirants on the ground that it is undemocratic. He also said he stood by the earlier position of the GAC that all aspirants should face direct primary contest to foster democracy in the country.
The source stated, at this point, Tinubu, who chaired the GAC meeting, became angry and quickly interjected, threatening Ambode with impeachment, if he failed to stand down for Sanwo-Olu before the primary election earlier scheduled to hold today which was later postponed till tomorrow by the APC national secretariat.
THISDAY learnt that it was resolved at the meeting that a stakeholders’ meeting should be held on Saturday at the party secretariat, Acme road, Ogba. It was expected that Tinubu would come to the meeting to endorse Sanwo-Olu. To their surprise however, thousands of Ambode’s supporters thronged the venue chanting Ambode solidarity songs and raining curses on national leader: Tinubu ole Tinubu ole.
Eventually, Tinubu was forced to stay away.
When THISDAY contacted Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Tunde Rahman, for his reaction to the threat to impeach the governor by Tinubu’s camp, he responded, saying he did not “have any comment to make.”
Rather than attending as originally planned, Tinubu delegated a GAC leader, Senator Anthony Adefuye, to represent him.
At the stakeholders’ meeting, Adefuye acknowledged that there was another GAC meeting, which held by 10 am on Saturday,
Only Fools Assume They Can Fight the State Like El-Rufai Did — Ope Banwo
Public affairs commentator Ope Banwo has described as “strategic folly” the assumption that a former political office holder can openly confront the Nigerian state without consequences.
Banwo made the remarks while analysing the recent detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, which he said underscores the imbalance between individual ambition and institutional power.
“Only fools believe they can challenge the state the way El-Rufai did and continue life as usual,” Banwo stated. “The Nigerian state is not a debating club.”
He noted that El-Rufai repeatedly made grave allegations against government institutions on national platforms, including claims of conspiracies and surveillance, without publicly providing evidence. According to Banwo, such statements, whether true or not, inevitably provoke a response from authorities determined to maintain control.
Banwo explained that when a former official challenges state authority, it is often interpreted not as dissent but as defiance. “The state reacts to defiance, not arguments,” he said.
He further argued that El-Rufai appeared to overestimate his political backing, assuming that his past influence would shield him from institutional action. “That assumption collapsed the moment power called his bluff,” Banwo added.
According to him, the involvement of agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services illustrates how swiftly the machinery of state can move once a decision is made.
Banwo also highlighted the public’s muted reaction as a crucial lesson. “There were no mass protests. That silence shows the difference between perceived influence and real leverage,” he said.
He stressed that political power in Nigeria is sustained by active control of institutions, not by reputation. “Once you lose the levers, your bravado becomes a liability,” Banwo noted.
He concluded that El-Rufai’s experience should caution other former power brokers against mistaking visibility for authority. “Fighting the state without power is not courage; it is miscalculation,” he said.
society
GENERAL BULAMA BIU APPLAUDS SUCCESSFUL APC CONGRESSES, URGES NEW EXECUTIVES TO FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE
GENERAL BULAMA BIU APPLAUDS SUCCESSFUL APC CONGRESSES, URGES NEW EXECUTIVES TO FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE
Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu (Rtd), mni, Sarkin Yakin Biu, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected Ward and Local Government Executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the successful conduct of the party congresses across Borno State.
In a statement he personally issued to mark this significant milestone, General Biu commended the peaceful and well-organized nature of the congresses, highlighting them as a testament to the unity, maturity, and democratic spirit that characterize the APC. He praised the leadership, stakeholders, and dedicated members of the party for their commitment and discipline, which contributed to the smooth and credible outcome of the elections.
Addressing the newly elected executives, Biu emphasized that their victory is not just an honor, but a mandate for greater service, responsibility, and sacrifice. “Our party faithful look up to you to help shape leadership choices that are credible, experienced, and deeply committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to our people,” he stated, urging them to work sincerely and fairly to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
He called upon the new leaders to promote unity among members and support good governance to ensure the continued progress of Borno State and the nation as a whole.
In closing, Major General Biu assured the new executives of his unwavering support and extended his best wishes for their tenure, wishing everyone a prosperous and blessed Ramadan.
UNCOMMON RECOGNITION: Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun Gifts Car, House to Nigeria’s Best Teacher
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
“State and federal authorities jointly honour Solanke Francis Taiwo in Abeokuta, underscoring the strategic role of teacher motivation and education reform in Nigeria’s human capital development agenda.”
In a move that has sharply refocused national attention on education excellence, Dapo Abiodun has formally rewarded Mr. Solanke Francis Taiwo, a primary school teacher from Ansa-Ur-Deen Main School I, Kemta Lawa, Abeokuta, with a brand-new car and a two-bedroom house following his emergence as Nigeria’s Overall Best Primary School Teacher for the 2025/2026 academic session. The presentation occurred at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on 20 February 2026, witnessed by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology and senior ministry officials.
Mr. Solanke’s achievement was first nationally recognised earlier this year at the National Teachers’ Summit in Abuja, where he received a ₦50 million cash award for his outstanding dedication and measurable impact in the classroom.
Governor Abiodun clarified that while the bungalow is being provided under the Ogun State Housing Scheme, the car gift was donated by the Federal Government as part of its broader national recognition of exceptional educators. The governor used the occasion not just to celebrate Solanke’s personal excellence, but to showcase what he described as the tangible outcomes of focused policy and sustained investment in education.
Speaking on the reforms driving this achievement, Prof. Abayomi Arigbagbu, the state’s Education Commissioner, tied the success to the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda; a multi-pillar programme that prioritises curriculum enhancement, improved school management, teacher welfare, infrastructure upgrades, digital learning and professional development. “When you implement policies consistently and efficiently, you will continue to record results,” Arigbagbu said, pointing to back-to-back national accolades for Ogun teachers as evidence of meaningful sector transformation.
Experts in education policy have long emphasised the strategic importance of recognition and reward in strengthening teacher motivation and retention. As educational researcher Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond noted, “Sustained improvements in learning outcomes require environments where teachers are both valued and empowered.” While Nigeria grapples with challenges in schooling quality and teacher support, recognitions of this nature symbolise a positive paradigm shift when carefully institutionalised.
Critically, this development also underscores the often-neglected intersection between governance and human capital development; where targeted incentives can elevate the profession’s status and potentially improve learner outcomes. State authorities in Ogun have argued that such incentives are part of a broader ecosystem approach to education reform.
Mr. Solanke, in his remarks, urged fellow educators to view his recognition as a call to persist in uplifting teaching standards. “I promise to continue giving my best to make Ogun State proud,” he said, reflecting a deep professional commitment that goes beyond personal accolades.
In a climate where education systems across Africa seek scalable models of reform, the province’s spotlight on teacher excellence resonates beyond Ogun’s borders, offering a compelling case study of policy, performance and public affirmation converging for societal benefit.
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