Former Associate Reveals Reason Behind Tinubu's Initial Refusal to Back Fashola's Re-election Bid

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Prof Dapo Thomas

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By Efe Onodjae

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A former Special Assistant to former Lagos State Governor and current President, Bola Tinubu, Professor Dapo Thomas, has claimed that Tinubu initially withdrew his support for Babatunde Fashola’s second-term bid over what he described as attempts by the governor to build an independent political structure separate from his mentor.

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Thomas, now a Professor of History at Lagos State University, made the revelation in excerpts from his autobiography, Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics, scheduled for launch on July 9, 2026, and made available to Vanguard.

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According to the former aide, the relationship between Tinubu and Fashola deteriorated shortly after Fashola assumed office in 2007, with disagreements over loyalty, succession politics and the control of Lagos’ political structure.

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Thomas alleged that after securing his first term, Fashola gradually distanced himself from Tinubu and began consolidating his own political camp.

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“By 2010, when it was time to prepare for second term, BAT showed BRF and his boys that the vowel ‘A’ connotes ‘Agbara’ (Power) in Yoruba by withdrawing his support for BRF,” Thomas wrote.

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He claimed the decision forced Fashola to seek reconciliation through traditional rulers and influential political figures.

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According to Thomas, “BRF began jumping from one palace to the other lobbying the Obas to besiege BAT for clemency. In addition, the friends of the Governor, the likes of Pius Akinyelure, Prince Eludoyin and Egbon Salami, were also mobilised for entreaties.”

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The university lecturer alleged that Tinubu became uncomfortable with Fashola’s alleged efforts to raise a successor who would maintain an independent power bloc in Lagos rather than strengthen Tinubu’s political base ahead of his national ambitions.

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He said there was an understanding within the political family that the next governor after Fashola should emerge from Lagos East and be a Christian, a move aimed at balancing regional and religious interests after 16 years of Muslim governors.

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Thomas further claimed that while Tinubu and his loyalists were working towards that arrangement, Fashola was allegedly promoting a different succession plan centred on his preferred candidate.

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According to him, the disagreement widened the rift between both camps and fuelled tension within the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

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However, Thomas said he decided to intervene by writing a newspaper article titled “Tinubu-Fashola: Crossroads, Not Dead-End,” in which he appealed to Tinubu to forgive Fashola and grant him a second term.

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In the article, Thomas argued that replacing Fashola would slow Lagos’ development, describing the governor as someone who had justified Tinubu’s confidence in him.

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He also urged Tinubu to see any disagreements with his political protégé as one of the challenges often encountered by political leaders and godfathers.

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Thomas disclosed that before publishing the article, he sought Tinubu’s approval to avoid creating the impression that he was publicly opposing his political leader.

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According to him, Tinubu carefully reviewed the article, discussed its contents with him and eventually directed that it should be published.

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“The moment he told me to go ahead with it and even told me to publish it in The News, I knew immediately that Fashola would get a second term,” Thomas wrote.

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He added that Tinubu subsequently endorsed Fashola’s re-election, a decision he said he welcomed despite his earlier disagreements with the governor.

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“I was happy because I saw victory in playing a positive role in the elevation of an adversary who was plotting my own downfall,” Thomas stated.

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Thomas also claimed that after Fashola secured his second term, disagreements over succession resurfaced as the governor allegedly sought to influence the choice of his successor, while Tinubu eventually settled for former Accountant-General of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, as the preferred candidate for the 2015 governorship election.

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