By Peter Dansu In what many observers are calling a tit-for-tat move, and others say is a further sign of how deep the perceived rift betw...
By Peter Dansu
In what many observers are calling a tit-for-tat move, and others say is a further sign of how deep the perceived rift between the duo, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was noticeably absent on Thursday during the high-profile flag-off of the deep seaport access road reconstruction by President Bola Tinubu in the Epe-Ijebu Ode axis of Lagos.
The event, which drew top dignitaries including Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Hamzat, saw Sanwo-Olu’s clearly marked seat left conspicuously vacant. Hamzat sat just behind the empty chair, and it was to him that President Tinubu directed his comments—effectively bypassing the governor of the host state.
The president used the occasion to send a strong warning to governors across the country against approving developments on unauthorized islands and road setbacks, stressing the need for collaboration with federal agencies.
“Please, our dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaborating with the Surveyor-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Works on these roads,” Tinubu said pointedly. “I’m glad the deputy governor of Lagos State is here. Take it that we will revoke all those approvals given on setbacks, and please note that we are very serious about it. No more approvals for those unapproved islands being created illegally.”
While the Lagos State Government has yet to offer an official explanation for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s no-show, political watchers believe it may not be unconnected to an apparent rift between the governor and the president—a rift that became glaring just days earlier.
Last Saturday, during the inauguration of the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Tinubu was seen openly ignoring Sanwo-Olu in a long line of dignitaries. The president exchanged warm greetings with several key figures, including former Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Governors Zulum, Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Bassey Otu (Cross River). However, when he reached Sanwo-Olu, the president bypassed him completely and instead extended a handshake to the next man in line—Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo.
The cold shoulder did not go unnoticed and has fueled speculation of a widening gap between the president and the Lagos governor—his long-time political ally and protégé.
Some have linked the tension to the recent impeachment and swift reinstatement of Lagos House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa. Obasa was removed in February by a majority of lawmakers over allegations of financial misconduct. However, following intense political maneuvering and what insiders describe as Tinubu’s behind-the-scenes intervention, Obasa was reinstated after just 49 days.
Whether Sanwo-Olu’s absence was a calculated political response or merely coincidental remains unconfirmed. But with tensions rising and public snubs playing out on national television, Lagos politics appears to be entering a new and unpredictable chapter.
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