GAC Resolves Dispute Between Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu +Video

The Governance Advisory Council, GAC, has resolved the dispute between President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

According to Presidency sources, members of GAC, the highest advisory body of the Lagos State Governor, met with Tinubu, with Sanwo-Olu in attendance, The Eagle Online reports.

The meeting, which took place on Sunday at the private residence of the President in Ikoyi, Lagos State, had in attendance the Chairman of the GAC, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, other members, and some top politicians from Lagos State.

Among those who were not members of the GAC at the meeting were the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Kadiri.

Members of the GAC present included a former representative of Lagos West Senatorial District, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, and a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.

According to sources at the meeting, Olusi, who led the discussion, pleaded with Tinubu to forgive the governor without going into the details of what caused the rift.

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The President was said to have accepted this position and pronounced the rift settled.

It will be recalled that the rift had resulted in an open denunciation of Sanwo-Olu by Tinubu, who refused to shake him at a public function in Lagos State last week.

So also was Sanwo-Olu not recognised in a statement by the Presidency when he arrived through the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State, for the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States and the Sallah holiday.

A Presidency source had explained that the refusal of Tinubu to exchange a handshake with Sanwo-Olu at the commissioning of Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was his way of showing he was angry with the governor.

The source said the dispute could be traced to the loss the President suffered in the presidential election in Lagos State in the 2023 election.

The source said Tinubu was furious that while he lost the election to Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Sanwo-Olu won his re-election bid, adding that the belief was that the governor did not pay attention to the presidential election.

However, many are of the opinion that the issue became more pronounced when Obasa was removed as speaker, allegedly with the backing of Sanwo-Olu.

The governor has denied this several times.

Obasa has since been reinstated to his position.

Speaking after the meeting on Sunday, Sanwo-Olu told the Nigeria Television Authority that there has been no dispute.

He said it was a matter between father and son, adding: “Did you see any discord?

“There is none.

“There are people that believe that they are more Catholic than the Pope.

“There are things that you see people that cry more than the bereaved.

“Father and son are things we will always ensure that we clear.

“It’s nothing at all.

“He’s my father, he’s my leader.

“And we are grateful that he has given us the audience today to come in and say hello to him.”