In a further sign of a growing rift between President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor was conspicuously absent on Thursday during the official flag-off of the reconstruction of the deep seaport access road in the Epe-Ijebu Ode area of Lagos State.
Although a seat was clearly reserved for the governor, he did not attend the high-profile event. Instead, his deputy, Dr. Femi Hamzat, represented the state and was the one addressed directly by President Tinubu during his remarks.
The president used the occasion to caution state governors against granting planning approvals for unauthorised islands and developments that encroach on designated road setbacks and maritime zones.
“Please, our dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaborating with the surveyor-general of the federation and the ministry of works on these roads,” Tinubu said.
“I’m glad the deputy governor of Lagos State is here. Take it that we will revoke all those approvals given on setbacks, and please note that we are very serious about it. No more approvals for those unapproved islands being created illegally.”
The Lagos State Government has yet to release an official reason for Sanwo-Olu’s absence, but the event comes amid increasing speculation of a political rift between the governor and the president.
Just days earlier, during the commissioning of the completed Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, President Tinubu appeared to snub Governor Sanwo-Olu. As he greeted dignitaries, Tinubu skipped over Sanwo-Olu and extended a handshake directly to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo, who was next in line.
Observers believe the tension may be linked to the February impeachment of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa—an ally of President Tinubu—by lawmakers allegedly aligned with Sanwo-Olu. The speaker was reinstated 49 days later, reportedly following Tinubu’s intervention.
The unfolding events suggest a possible breakdown in the long-standing political alliance between Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu, raising questions about the governor’s political future and the internal unity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.
Analysts warn that continued public snubs and behind-the-scenes power struggles could have significant implications for governance and the party’s cohesion in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
