Again, Tinubu Snubs Sanwo-Olu at Lagos Event, Recognizes Deputy Governor, Vows to Revoke All Unauthorized Approvals on Lagos Island 

Again, Tinubu Snubs Sanwo-Olu at Lagos Event, Recognizes Deputy Governor, Vows to Revoke All Unauthorized Approvals on Lagos Island 

 

 

 

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Lagos has intensified speculation about a growing rift between him and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the President publicly acknowledged Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat while appearing to sideline his long-time political ally.

 

The tension between Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu, once perceived as close allies within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has become increasingly apparent in recent months, and the President’s behavior during his Lagos tour has only fueled rumors of a deepening estrangement.

 

 

At the commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road on May 31, 2025, President Tinubu pointedly recognized the presence of Deputy Governor Hamzat in his address, while making no mention of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

 

“I’m glad the Deputy Governor of Lagos State is here,” Tinubu said during his speech. He went on to issue a stern warning about unregulated development on Lagos Island.

 

“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 comment was seen not only as a crackdown on questionable urban planning practices but also as a thinly veiled critique of the current state administration’s handling of land approvals in the state’s coastal areas.

 

According to sources within the APC at the national and state levels, President Tinubu’s cold shoulder to Sanwo-Olu was not an oversight. Eyewitnesses at the Murtala Muhammed Airport say the President declined to shake the governor’s hand upon arrival, instead warmly greeting Deputy Governor Hamzat. In a break from tradition, it was Hamzat—rather than Sanwo-Olu—who accompanied the President to his residence in Bourdillon, Ikoyi.

 

Attempts to manage the optics were apparent. Insiders allege that Tinubu’s media team issued directives to avoid broadcasting footage that might confirm the apparent snub. Reports also suggest Governor Sanwo-Olu was not involved in post-event meetings or logistics typically reserved for the sitting governor when the President is in town.

 

While Sanwo-Olu has not commented publicly on the matter, the silence from both camps has only deepened concerns among party stakeholders. “This seems to follow a pattern,” said one APC official who requested anonymity. “Tinubu elevates certain loyalists, but once they start to act independently, things begin to change.”

 

Although the official guest list and protocol suggest that Governor Sanwo-Olu likely attended the port access road commissioning, there is no clear photographic or video evidence of his presence, and he was conspicuously absent from the President’s acknowledgments.

 

Observers see the President’s vow to revoke land approvals as part of a broader federal push to reassert control over unregulated development in Nigeria’s commercial capital. However, critics argue it may also signal a deeper political recalibration within Lagos—one with serious implications for Sanwo-Olu’s future in the party.

 

As speculation swirls, many within the APC are watching closely to see whether the rift widens or if back-channel diplomacy can mend what was once considered an unbreakable political alliance.