By Seyi Odewale
In a dramatic turn that may put to rest weeks of speculations and internal tensions within the Lagos political landscape, President Bola Tinubu yesterday declared that “all is over now, all is forgiven” following a closed-door meeting with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.
This development arose after the President met with members of GAC, who came to plead on behalf of the Governor and others who might have erred in the President’s eyes.
Chairman of the GAC, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, who welcomed the President to Lagos, stated that it was apparent he was unhappy with specific individuals in the state, especially the Governor, and therefore pleaded for mercy.
The high-stakes reconciliation meeting brought together key stakeholders in the state’s political establishment, including APC chieftains, traditional rulers, and elder statesmen, signalling a decisive move toward unity within the party.
President Tinubu, who has long been regarded as the political godfather of Lagos, was visibly relaxed and smiling as he emerged from the meeting.
Tinubu was quoted to have said, “Whatever has happened is behind us. It’s all over now. All is forgiven. What matters is the unity and progress of Lagos and our great party.”
At this point, it was learnt that Sanwo-Olu and other members of the GAC prostrated to the President in apparent remorse and appeasement.
Although the exact cause of the tensions was never officially confirmed, the meeting didn’t involve a situation where the President or the Governor had to explain what had happened between them.
They just pleaded for outright mercy on behalf of the Governor, and the President granted it.
Political observers have hailed the meeting as a crucial step in preserving party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With Lagos serving as the bedrock of APC’s national strength, any hint of disunity could have had far-reaching implications.
A political analyst at the University of Lagos, Dr Tunde Oyewole, described the development as “classic Tinubu politics — decisive, strategic, and aimed at long-term stability.”
“He’s sent a clear message: family fights may occur, but they must not weaken the house. This reconciliation strengthens his legacy as a master political builder.”
“What this shows is that dialogue, not division, remains the preferred path in the Tinubu political school,” noted Chief Adebayo Ogundele, a GAC member who attended the meeting.
