Who’s after Hakeem Muri-Okunola? Governorship Ambition Rumour Gains Ground

Public office is a graveyard of ambitions. The rise of one signals, more or less, the decline of another. How else to describe the fact that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is a celebrity today for doing an awesome job, but folks are determined to sow discord into his cabinets. First, it was about Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives. The lenses have turned to Hakeem Muri-Okunola (HMO), Lagos head of service.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has spent half of his four-year term, and folks are divided on whether or not he should vie for a second one. The bone of the matter is not that Sanwo-Olu is inadequate and unworthy of a second term, but that some folks want someone else because of some vague agreements regarding the religion of the Lagos governor.

The gist, in brief, is as follows: Sanwo-Olu is a Christian. His predecessor, Akinwunmi Ambode, is also a Christian. Ambode was governor for one term. Therefore, based on their shared religion, Sanwo-Olu is expected to serve for one term so that the Christians can have their two terms, and then the Muslims get their two terms, and so forth. Femi Gbajabiamila was the first candidate touted as nursing the ambition to ‘do the needful’ by replacing Sanwo-Olu. Gbajabiamila faced fire for that rumour. Now it is the turn of HMO, and he will certainly face fire even though he has nothing to do with the rumours.

HMO has been Lagos State Head of Service for two years and a half now. Celebrated for his non-partisan status and consequent unbiasedness, this might be the first time HMO is being cast in a villainy role. Considering that he has a solid relationship with Sanwo-Olu, it is obvious that some mischief is at hand. And that is what the rumours of HMO’s governorship ambition come to—mischief in high places.