Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Set To Replace Akinwumi Ambode With Olasupo Shasore As Fashola’s Succesor In the race for who will succeed Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) as the Chief Executive of Lagos State, it is clear to all interested parties that all roads lead to No. 26, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. This is the residence of the “Lion of Bourdillon” and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It will be recalled that Tinubu governed Lagos from 1999 to 2007. Tinubu’s reign as governor of Lagos witnessed a rapid transformation of the state, its economy and its politics. For example, internally generated revenue rose from less than N20 million monthly to a whopping N1 billion monthly. This bursting at the seams of the coffers of government led to a rapid development of many sectors of the state’s economy particularly in the areas of infrastructure development and health care, for example. Similarly, Tinubu was able to parlay his position as governor of Lagos State into national prominence first, as a leader of his then party, the Alliance for Democracy, and then later as leader of the Action Congress/Action Congress of Nigeria. Due to the effective use of the office by Tinubu, the seat of power at Alausa had become so attractive that, at least 13 powerful individuals signified their intention to succeed Tinubu as the new helmsman in Lagos State. These ranged from the then Deputy Governor, Chief Femi Pedro to several serving commissioners in Tinubu’s cabinet such as Hakeem Gbajabiamila, Tola Kasali, and others. However, in a masterstroke move reminiscent of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”, Tinubu undercut all those who had shown interest in the race and instead settled for Babatunde Raji Fashola to succeed him as governor. At that time, Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was serving in Tinubu’s cabinet as Chief of Staff and even though not much was known about him at the time, he was nonetheless said to have been privy to and been a part of the planning of many of the numerous successes that Tinubu’s government recorded. The rest, as they say, is now history. Fashola has by his performance as governor of Lagos over the last seven and a half years justified the confidence reposed in him by Tinubu. He has proved all the doubters wrong and has reinforced the mysticism of Tinubu, and Tinubu is now acclaimed as a master tactician and someone who is a good judge of personalities. Now, as Fashola’s two term stint as governor of Lagos State draws nearer the end, it will appear that Tinubu is preparing another masterstroke for the people of Lagos. As at today, several prominent men have signified their interest in supplanting Fashola as governor of Lagos. These range from Obafemi Hamzat, the current commissioner for works, to Akinwunmi Ambode, a former accountant general and permanent secretary in the state. Also rumoured to be interested in the hot seat at Alausa are Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the current Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, of Lagos West Senatorial District, and Dr. Leke Pitan, a former commissioner in Tinubu’s cabinet, among others. But, in another masterstroke move in the waiting, the Lion of Bourdillon is reported to be preparing to ditch all these declared candidates and to, once again, instead settle for a dark horse candidate in the mould of Babatunde Fashola. This dark horse, we are reliably informed, is none other than Olasupo Shasore, the former Attorney-General and commissioner for Justice in Lagos State. Shasore, like Fashola who he is being tipped to replace, is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Also, like Fashola before him, Shasore is reported have been privy to and been a part of the planning of many of the numerous successes that Fashola’s government has recorded. But, apart from these qualities, our sources reveal that three major factors have influenced Tinubu’s decision to go with Shasore as the person to replace Fashola in the hot seat in Alausa. Firstly, Tinubu is said to be acutely aware of the unique position of Lagos in the overall economy of Nigeria and the need to entrust its leadership to a proven technocrat who is not weighed down by politics, and how this will give confidence to the business community in Lagos State, who are the mainstay of the state’s revenue base. Secondly, Tinubu is said to be a believer in the concept of continuity and is very concerned that the several long term plans which he has laid down for Lagos State are implemented to the letter, a process that may be truncated if a neophyte, or even the PDP, is allowed to take the reins of government. Such plans include the three line intra-city railway system, the expansion of the Lagos-Badagry expressway into a 10 lane super highway and the complete overhaul of the state’s healthcare delivery system. Finally, Tinubu recognises that a thriving Lagos State under his overall direction as the leader of the APC in the state only serves to continue to enhance his status both in the South-West region where he holds sway and also on the national stage. It is not known how the other aspirants in the race to Alausa will take this new development of Shasore’s selection as the preferred candidate as many of them are known to have been in this race for some time. That said, it is understood that Governor Babatunde Fashola might be easily persuaded to come on board the Shasore-For-Governor train as both men are understood to have enjoyed a reasonably productive working relationship while Shasore served in Fashola’s cabinet as Attorney-General.
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 09:34:57 +0000
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