What Tinubu Told Sanwo-Olu During Closed-Door Reconciliation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has publicly declared that he has forgiven Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, putting to rest speculations about a rift between the two leaders.

The reconciliation took place during a private meeting with members of the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), led by its chairman, Prince Tajudeen Olusi. The visit, which doubled as an Eid-el-Kabir homage, was held at the president’s Ikoyi residence in Lagos.

While President Tinubu did not address the specifics of their fallout, he graciously accepted the GAC’s plea for reconciliation. A source at the meeting said the discussion did not delve into details of the alleged disagreement, but rather focused on restoring unity.

“The meeting didn’t entertain a situation where the president or the governor had to start explaining what happened between them. They just pleaded for outright mercy on behalf of the governor, and the president granted it,” the source revealed.

According to insiders, Governor Sanwo-Olu and other top Lagos politicians prostrated before the president—a traditional Yoruba gesture of humility and remorse.

In attendance were Lagos Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; APC Lagos State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi; Senators Tokunbo Abiru and Ganiyu Solomon; and party stalwart Cardinal James Odunmbaku.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Prince Olusi acknowledged there had been tension between the president and some political figures in Lagos, particularly the governor, and appealed for understanding going forward.

President Tinubu responded simply and firmly:
“It’s all over now. All is forgiven.”

The gesture follows weeks of public speculation, especially after a viral video in May showed the president appearing to overlook Governor Sanwo-Olu during the inauguration of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway—an incident that fueled rumours of strained relations.

The president’s statement now signals a reset in the political atmosphere within Lagos APC ranks.

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