Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s political future seems uncertain after reports emerged that he allegedly funneled public funds to key opposition figures. President Tinubu, upon receiving this information, reportedly saw it as a deep betrayal.
According to security reports, anti-graft agents discovered that funds from Aisha Achimugu, an ally of Sanwo-Olu, somehow made their way to Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, the prominent leaders of Nigeria’s two main opposition parties. While the exact amount and timeline of these transactions remain unclear, investigators believe more details will surface, leading to further briefings to the president, who was said to be deeply shocked by the news.
“The president was furious and felt betrayed when he was informed that this actually happened. He has absorbed deceptive political tactics all his life, but he was uncharacteristically hurt by this one,” a senior official reported.
So far, neither Obi nor Abubakar has responded to inquiries regarding this unfolding political drama. However, the allegations could significantly affect Sanwo-Olu’s governorship, his relationship with the president, and his future political ambitions beyond 2027.
Investigators are now looking deeper into how Achimugu may have funded Obi and Abubakar around the 2023 elections. She has been identified as a key financial operative for Sanwo-Olu, and her involvement raises questions about the wider network of political funding.
“The agents didn’t stop at identifying how the woman was helping the Lagos governor move money abroad; they also tried to understand how she might have moved money within the country. That was how they found she delivered some money to two opposition leaders after the presidential election,” the anonymous official added.
Rumour has it that Achimugu may have distributed the funds as part of a strategic compromise to strengthen Sanwo-Olu’s reelection efforts following Tinubu’s unexpected loss in Lagos during the presidential election.
The official also noted: “They should’ve known that the president has informants everywhere. And Governor Sanwo-Olu especially should have known that there was no way he could get away with being in bed with the opposition figures who have sworn to undermine the president at every turn.”
Report has it that a spokesperson for the presidency refused to address the allegations, citing the confidentiality of security briefings. Also, reports said that attempts to reach Sanwo-Olu and his spokesman were unsuccessful, as repeated calls went unanswered.
Adding to Sanwo-Olu’s troubles, an aide revealed that concerns about his alleged romantic involvement with Achimugu, despite being a married man, might further worsen his situation with Tinubu. The president was reportedly already displeased with Sanwo-Olu over his role in the brief impeachment of Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa in January.
“Please remember that the governor was already facing a serious battle for his role in the impeachment and his failure to quickly rally the lawmakers to bring back Mr Obasa after your paper reported that the president had asked them to commence reinstatement. Now it looks like he has landed in yet another trouble so soon,” the aide who chose to remain anonymous commented.
Further complicating matters, report has it that a former police commissioner, believed to have worked with Sanwo-Olu during Obasa’s impeachment, was abruptly removed from his position.
“The commissioner has already been punished,” the official added. “Which is why the governor’s recent blunders are giving some of us working with him sleepless nights.”
With these controversies piling up, it remains to be seen how Sanwo-Olu will navigate the stormy political waters ahead.
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