Former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is scheduled to have a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
This meeting follows their previous encounter at a state reception organized by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for President Tinubu on June 29. During that event, Tinubu publicly acknowledged Ambode’s presence and expressed gratitude.
According to an insider, the meeting in Abuja is expected to mark the final reconciliation between the two men after their fallout during the 2019 election when Ambode failed to secure a second term ticket. At the time, Ambode lost the All Progressives Congress ticket to Sanwo-Olu in a direct primary election held across the state.
While Tinubu publicly maintained that he had no personal issues with Ambode and that the decision to remove him was made by party members, there were speculations that the rift between them stemmed from their strained mentor-mentee relationship.
Reports suggest that Ambode’s return to the mainstream of Lagos politics became apparent during Sanwo-Olu’s visit to celebrate Ambode’s 60th birthday at his residence on June 14.
In recent days, there have been rumors that Tinubu is considering appointing Ambode to a position in his government. The Friday meeting is believed to provide an opportunity to finalize discussions on this matter.