After Plotting APC’s Defeat, Gani Adams Pledges Allegiance to Ambode
Gboyega Akinsanmi
After staging disapproval rally against the All Progressives Congress (APC) just before the 2015 general election, the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Mr. Gani Adams, yesterday pledged allegiance to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
Adams, who recently emerged the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland-designate, also sought fresh relationship with the Lagos State Government and the people of the state irrespective of what happened shortly before the 2015 presidential election.
He pledged allegiance to Ambode at the State House yesterday alongside the Chairman of the Aare Ona Kakanfo Inauguration Planning Committee, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, thus inviting the governor to his inauguration as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland on January 13.
On March 16, 2015, Adams had led a considerable number of the OPC members from all South-west states in a violent rally he organised in support of former Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.
He had, also, led the rally against former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega in Lagos, who was allegedly believed to be working for the APC in the presidential contest especially.
During the rally, the OPC members were then seen brandishing cutlasses, guns and knives among others along the Oworonsoki-Ojota highway and occupied one side of the highway, harassing pedestrians, motorists and other road users.
But at a meeting with the governor yesterday, the OPC leader acknowledged that there was no permanent enemy or friend in politics, which he attributed to the late Premier of old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
He, therefore, explained two rationales behind his visit to the State House, noting that it was first to establish a relationship with the Lagos State Government and second invite Ambode to his inauguration as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland.
Irrespective of what has happened, Adams said: “I want to build a relationship with you, personally, with the Lagos State Government and with the people of Lagos. Chief Awolowo said there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend in politics.”
Aside, Adams acknowledged how the governor had transformed the state, noting that in the last two and half years, Ambode had succeeded in giving the State a major facelift and that appreciable level of progress had been recorded across the state.
He said: “I am so particular about the Light up Lagos. Whenever I am driving from Lagos Island, I always ask my Chief of Staff or sometimes my driver if we are in Europe or we are still in Nigeria or the same Lagos that we are living before?”
The OPC leader, equally, acknowledged what Ambode had done to grow the South-west integration since assumption of office, noting that Lagos “is South-west even though it is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria. I have realised that you are more interested in the integration of the South-west.”
Also at the meeting, Ambode said Lagos over the years had remained the heartbeat of the future of the Yoruba race, assuring that no stone would be left unturned “to engender South-west and would continue to support initiatives towards its success.
“We believe so much in the Yoruba race. We believe so much that Lagos remains the work of the future of the Yoruba race. We would not let the Yoruba race down. We believe so much in Nigeria. But we know where we are from and we know that everything that binds us together as one we would continue to support.”