A former Special Assistant to former Lagos State Governor and current President, Bola Tinubu, Dapo Thomas, has claimed that President Tinubu initially withdrew his support for Babatunde Fashola’s second-term governorship bid following a political fallout over loyalty and control of Lagos’ political structure.

Naija News reports that Thomas, now a Professor of History at Lagos State University, made the claim in excerpts from his autobiography, Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics, scheduled for launch on July 9, 2026.

According to Thomas, the relationship between Tinubu and Fashola began to deteriorate shortly after Fashola assumed office as Lagos State governor in 2007.

He alleged that Tinubu became dissatisfied with what he perceived as Fashola’s efforts to establish an independent political base rather than remain aligned with his political mentor.

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Thomas claimed that by 2010, as preparations for the 2011 governorship election gathered momentum, Tinubu withdrew his support for Fashola’s re-election bid.

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

He further alleged that the decision compelled Fashola to seek reconciliation through prominent traditional rulers and influential political figures.

According to Thomas, Fashola reached out to respected monarchs and political associates, including Pius Akinyelure, Prince Eludoyin and Egbon Salami, to plead with Tinubu to reconsider his decision.

Thomas also claimed that Tinubu was uncomfortable with Fashola’s alleged succession plans, accusing the former governor of attempting to build a political structure that could operate independently of Tinubu’s influence.

He stated that there had been an understanding within the political family that the next governor after Fashola would emerge from Lagos East and be a Christian to maintain regional and religious balance after years of Muslim leadership in the state.

According to him, Fashola allegedly pursued a different succession arrangement, a development he said deepened divisions within the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Thomas disclosed that he later intervened by writing a newspaper article titled Tinubu-Fashola: Crossroads, Not Dead-End, urging Tinubu to forgive Fashola and support his second-term ambition.

He said the article argued that replacing Fashola at the time would disrupt the developmental progress recorded in Lagos State and appealed to Tinubu to view their disagreements as part of the realities of political leadership.

Thomas added that before publishing the piece, he presented it to Tinubu for approval to avoid creating the impression that he was acting against his political leader.

According to him, Tinubu reviewed the article, discussed its contents and eventually authorised its publication.

“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,” Thomas stated.

He claimed that Tinubu subsequently endorsed Fashola’s re-election, bringing an end to the political impasse.

Thomas, however, alleged that disagreements resurfaced after Fashola secured his second term, particularly over the choice of his successor.

He claimed that while Fashola allegedly sought to promote his preferred candidate, Tinubu eventually settled for former Lagos State Accountant-General, Akinwunmi Ambode, as the APC governorship candidate ahead of the 2015 election.