A key member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Muraina Taiwo, has confirmed that the rumoured discord between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been resolved.
In a telephone interview with Punch on Sunday, Taiwo emphasized that the perceived tension had been amicably settled behind closed doors.
“Whatever differences people thought existed, God has intervened. The father has embraced his son, and the son has reciprocated. In Lagos, we are united once again,” Taiwo said, implying that the reported fallout was more perception than reality.
Party Elders Intervene
Further assurance came from elder statesman and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Olusegun Osoba, who confirmed that party leaders had been working discreetly to mend fences between the two political heavyweights.
“I won’t disclose the details of our efforts, but rest assured we’ve been active. We won’t stand by and watch things escalate. Just as I’ve been involved in the Lagos and Rivers issues, I can tell you that all will be well,” Osoba stated.
Background: Cold Signals and Public Speculation
The reconciliation follows weeks of growing speculation about a falling-out between Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu. The rumors intensified after videos surfaced showing President Tinubu allegedly ignoring Governor Sanwo-Olu during greetings at the commissioning of a 30km segment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway on May 31, 2025.
Further fuelling suspicion, Sanwo-Olu was absent during the earlier commissioning of the Lekki Deep Seaport Road on May 29. In his place was Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who unusually did not deliver a speech on behalf of the state.
Tensions appeared to deepen when Sanwo-Olu was not in Lagos for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations with the President. Instead, he traveled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he formally welcomed Governor Umo Eno into the APC an act viewed by some as politically symbolic.
Meanwhile, viral images of Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa prostrating before Tinubu added more intrigue, with analysts interpreting the act as part of internal power recalibration within the Lagos political structure.
Allegations of Disloyalty and EFCC Concerns
Sources close to the Lagos political establishment suggest the rift predates recent public events and may be linked to more serious allegations. One source claimed that President Tinubu grew increasingly frustrated after receiving reports that Governor Sanwo-Olu allegedly provided financial support to Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
“It is true there was a rift. What ignited it, I was told, was the allegation that Sanwo-Olu backed Atiku financially,” the source told Punch. “This came at a time when the President was still consolidating power. It struck a nerve.”
The source further referenced Sanwo-Olu’s reported court action against the EFCC, suggesting the governor may have feared post-tenure investigations. However, both the Lagos State Government and the Attorney General, Lawal Pedro (SAN), categorically denied that any lawsuit had been filed.
In addition, the EFCC clarified that its case involving socialite Aisha Achimugu, who was declared wanted for alleged money laundering, had no ties to either Sanwo-Olu or Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku’s camp also dismissed the allegations. His spokesperson, Paul Ibe, labeled the narrative a “baseless smear campaign”, designed to sow discord and distract from pressing national issues.
Signs of Reconciliation
In a move widely seen as symbolic of renewed unity, Presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga shared a group photo on X (formerly Twitter) showing President Tinubu seated alongside Governor Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Hamzat, Speaker Obasa, and GAC members during a meeting in Lagos on Sunday.
The photo has been interpreted by many political observers as a deliberate effort to project a restored relationship between the President and his political ally.
Conclusion: Crisis Averted, But Questions Linger
While recent developments suggest that the rift has been closed, observers note that the underlying causes—particularly the alleged disloyalty and EFCC concerns—may still cast a shadow over the relationship. For now, however, Lagos appears politically stable again, with Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu publicly aligned ahead of major governance and party decisions.
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