THE relationship between former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his protégée, Governor Babatunde Fashola, “has always been topsy-turvy,” according to insiders.
To the extent that a few years back, the former NADECO chieftain and National Leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to give his political godson “a bloody nose” through an instigated impeachment. But for Lagosians that rose against such a kangaroo treatment, it could have been a fait accompli.
Again late last year, the Asiwaju’s patience was tested when Fashola reportedly backed a dark horse against his mentor’s choice for the 2015 governorship of Lagos. But Tinubu delivered a strong message at the primaries, leaving Fashola’s Man Friday kissing the canvass.
That was a clear enough warning from the godfather to his godson, who, going by accounts, saw the handwriting on the wall and decided to make amends by leading the campaigns to install his “successor” in office.
Thus, in the name of “continuity in government” and “generational shift,” Fashola picked up the gauntlet of the ‘Garrison Commander’-headed ‘opposition’ Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and assailed it with more than a handful of issues to chew, including hanging an economic criminal “tax evasion” charge on the neck of the party’s flagbearer.
While a PDP source affirmed that the attacks were having telling effects on the candidate and the party, Tinubu is reportedly gloating, and praising Fashola for taking off his shoulders a huge burden of selling the APC candidate to Lagosians.
As he was quoted as telling some of his aides, “I am very happy and pleased with the SAN” (Fashola — a Senior Advocate of Nigeria). Perhaps, yesterday’s sins forgiven and ‘forgotten’ on the altar of expe
