Tinubu Showed Fashola Who Holds the Power in Lagos Politics

In a revelation that is set to shake up Nigerian political circles, a former aide to President Bola Tinubu has dropped a bombshell: Tinubu initially pulled his support for Babatunde Fashola's second term as Lagos governor. Why? Because Fashola tried to build his own political machine, separate from the man who made him.

Professor Dapo Thomas, a former Special Assistant to Tinubu and now a History professor at Lagos State University, spilled the tea in his upcoming autobiography, Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics. The book drops on July 9, 2026, and excerpts have already got tongues wagging.

According to Thomas, the bromance between Tinubu and Fashola went sour shortly after Fashola took office in 2007. The issue? Loyalty, succession politics, and who controls Lagos' political structure. Fashola, after securing his first term, allegedly started building his own camp and distancing himself from his mentor.

Thomas wrote:

By 2010, when it was time to prepare for second term, BAT showed BRF and his boys that the vowel 'A' connotes 'Agbara' (Power) in Yoruba by withdrawing his support for BRF.

That move forced Fashola to scramble. He went palace-hopping, begging traditional rulers to intervene. His friends — Pius Akinyelure, Prince Eludoyin, Egbon Salami — were also mobilized to plead for mercy. It was a full-court press to get back in Tinubu's good graces.

Thomas claims Tinubu was uneasy with Fashola's alleged plan to raise a successor who would keep an independent power bloc in Lagos, rather than strengthen Tinubu's base for his national ambitions. There was an understanding within the political family that the next governor after Fashola should come from Lagos East and be a Christian — a move to balance regional and religious interests after 16 years of Muslim governors. But Fashola was pushing his own candidate.

The rift widened, fueling tension within the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). That's when Thomas stepped in. He wrote a newspaper article titled Tinubu-Fashola: Crossroads, Not Dead-End, appealing to Tinubu to forgive Fashola and grant him a second term. Thomas argued that replacing Fashola would slow Lagos' development, and that the governor had justified Tinubu's confidence in him.

But here's the kicker: Before publishing, Thomas sought Tinubu's approval. He didn't want to look like he was publicly opposing his political leader. Tinubu carefully reviewed the article, discussed it with Thomas, and then gave the green light.

Thomas wrote:

The moment he told me to go ahead with it and even told me to publish it in The News, I knew immediately that Fashola would get a second term.

And he did. Tinubu endorsed Fashola's re-election. Thomas was happy, but not just for Fashola. He said:

I was happy because I saw victory in playing a positive role in the elevation of an adversary who was plotting my own downfall.

But the drama didn't end there. After Fashola's second term, succession battles resurfaced. Fashola allegedly tried to influence who would take over, but Tinubu eventually settled on Akinwunmi Ambode, the former Accountant-General of Lagos State, as the preferred candidate for the 2015 governorship election.

This story is a classic tale of power, loyalty, and the politics of Lagos. It shows that in Nigerian politics, the godfather always has the last word. And Tinubu, as always, played his cards close to his chest.