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| Oba of Lagos, |
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| Obafemi Hamzat |
Akinwunmi Ambode as the next governor of the state come 2015.
The monarch's declaration may have put paid to the speculations that followed the desperate pursuit for the seat for some of the contenders including Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Senator Ganiu Olarenwaju Solomon, and Obafemi Hamzat.
Oba Akiolu specifically declared that Hamzat will not get the support of Lagosians and its leaders because he is not an indigene of Lagos.
Hamzat is the Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and a close pal of the state governor, Babatunde Fashola.
Ambode is one of the many contenders for the governorship seat in the 2015 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was one of the last entrants in the battle.
Before now, there had been speculations that the party was not interested in Hamzat for some reasons. His traditional ruler father in Ogun State, allegedly betrayed his friendship with Bola Tinubu, the leader of the APC and acclaimed chief godfather in the State. He is also known to be promoted by Governor Fashola, who the party is careful with because of the crisis that erupted between him and Tinubu prior to the 2011 election.
Oba Akiolu is known to be one of the closest monarchs to Tinubu. Many Lagosians often believe he is a card-carrying member of the APC.
Speaking at the launch of a book on the biography of Mr. Ambode, titled: "The Art of Selfless Service," written by Maria Osoba, Oba Akiolu said: "the APC can go ahead with their primaries but the elders of the state have met and agreed that Ambode should be the next governor of Lagos."
He said that Ambode was the most qualified of all those contesting for the position and that his aspiration has been endorsed by the elders of the state.
"When the APC leader, Bola Tinubu, chose Fashola in 2007 to succeed him, it was met with stiff opposition but today Tinubu has been justified. We see a similar character like Governor Fashola in Ambode," the Oba said.
He urged other governorship aspirants on the APC platform in the state to give Ambode a chance.
"You people know me well that I do not hide my feelings on where I stand on issues. We the royal fathers have consulted widely within the state with the sons and daughters of Lagos and have come to the conclusion that the best person to take over from Babatunde Raji Fashola the iconic governor of Lagos State is Akinwunmi Ambode,” he added.
"We cannot have a man like this and allow somebody whose father is an Oba in Ewekoro Ogun State (in reference to Hamzat's father) be the Governor of Lagos.
"Although Lagos State belongs to all Nigerians and the state will continue to offer opportunities to every Nigerian to actualise the Nigerian dream, Ambode remains the best man with the required pedigree and character to take Lagos to the next level."
Akiolu said though other aspirants have the right to contest for governorship, he also has the constitutional right to endorse anybody for the position.
Represented by Mrs. Arthur Worry, former Commissioner for Lands in Lagos, Tinubu called Ambode an industrious public servant and a financial surgeon who developed the template for the re-engineering of the financial sector of Lagos.
He said his success was partly because of Ambode's resilience and hard work. He also recalled Ambode's effort to keep the state's financial base strong when former President Olusegun Obasanjo stopped the federal allocation to the state because of the latter's introduction of 37 Local Council Development Areas.
Ambode, while thanking the monarch and all those who spoke about him, said: "today, I have a Lagos dream that we can share together."
Ambode referred to Tinubu and Fashola as his mentors while he served the state as Accountant-General and later as Permanent Secretary, State Treasury Office, Ministry of Finance before he retired in August 2012.
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