DSS, Police set to arrest Tinubu’s Favorite and APC candidate, Ambode

Lagos State governorship candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode,
may be arrested by security agencies this week over an
alleged criminal conduct.
Sunday Tribune reports that the finance expert is likely
to be picked up on Wednesday for questioning and
possible detention.
This follows a petition alleging perjury against Ambode
authored by Lagos APC Integrity Group.
Copies were submitted to the police and the
Department of State Security Service (DSS) last week.
Attached to the petition were documents to prove the
alleged perjury against the governorship candidate.
The petitioners accused Ambode of lying on oath by
claiming in his Joint Admission and Matriculation Board
(JAMB) examination form in 1981 that he was from Ilaje
in Ondo State, only to claim in his APC nomination
form, on oath again, to be from Epe in Lagos State,
during the governorship primary contest.
The former Accountant-General of Lagos State is now
said to be under security surveillance, to forestall his
escape from the country.
He would be declared wanted if he manages to escape
from the country before security agents get to him.
A member of the Integrity Group disclosed that the
party members behind the petition decided to be open
about it so that Ambode's case would not be couched as
impunity on the part of the Federal Government or
harassment by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ambode, backed by the party's national leader, Senator
Bola Tinubu, last Thursday, defeated 12 others to clinch
the party's ticket.
Most had opposed the process leading to the exercise
and insisted on indirect primary, rather than direct
primary that was conducted.
There are two cases at the Federal High Court in Lagos
challenging the process and conduct of the exercise.
Ambode's godfather, Tinubu also faced alleged perjury
case after his emergence as the governorship candidate
of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999.
Late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN,
pursued the alleged perjury case against him to the
Supreme Court.

The apex court however ruled that Tinubu, as governor,
had immunity from investigation from the Inspector-
General of Police as demanded by Fawehinmi.
The court held that the police could make discreet
investigation, but it was not permitted to come in
contact with the governor in any way in the course of
the probe.

The governor must also not know that he was being
investigated.

Findings from such discreet probe, according to the
apex court, could, however, be used in prosecuting the
governor after office. Nothing has happened after then.