A Political Analyst, Mr Wale Ogunade, on Wednesday said that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State would have been able to surpass the achievements of his predecessors if he had not ignored the political structure that brought him to power.
Ogunade, also the President, Voters Awareness Initiative, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, while assessing Ambode’s performance ahead of his exit from office next month.
Ambode lost his bid to return to office for a second term during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election, losing to Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who became the party’s candidate in the March 9 governorship election and would be succeeding him on May 29.
Unlike Ambode, his immediate predecessors, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and Sen. Bola Tinubu spent eight years each in office, having been there for two terms each.
Ogunade said that Gov. Ambode started well, as he continued on the development progress of his predecessors.
“In fact, Gov. Ambode should have surpassed his predecessors, but unfortunately he got carried away by power.
“He saw power as a means of getting himself above the system and I believe the system overwhelmed him.
“He is a technocrat, and unfortunately he did not take into consideration the political structure that brought him in. And of course, as election time came, the same political structure did away with him.
“I hope that it is a lesson that no matter how good you are, you must not lose touch with the political structure or the people, because the Governor at some point cut off the people.
“That was why he only had the support of the few friends he worked with and not the people,” he said.
Ogunade urged political leaders to learn from the mistakes of Gov. Ambode and carry the people along in their administration.
“So, my advice to politicians is that the people must be factored into your political life, because as a President or a governor, you have to live a multidimensional life.
“You are a family man, a party man, chief security officer, head of civil service and the father of all, and you must carry everybody along because everyone matters,” he said.
Ogunade said that the governor’s administration has, however, recorded sterling achievements that have propelled the state on a positive economic trajectory which would outlive it.
“Aside these political issues, Gov. Ambode took up quality projects. He performed well and drove infrastructural development such as construction of roads and bridges, provision of buses and bus terminals, and others,” Ogunade said.
