Society Gists

For many who have been wondering about the whereabouts of the former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode from the social and political scene since his unceremonious exit from Alausa Government House.

There is no doubt that Ambode had not been in the country. He went back to school. Source close to the former governor said he was at Harvard University, undergoing another leadership course. He was said to have begun the course around late 2019.

The leadership course at Harvard University is said to be taken his time which kept him away from friends and public glare.

Ever since he left office in an unceremonial manner, the former governor has chosen to retire to a quiet life. The last time his voice was heard was when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, raided his house in Epe and Ikoyi on learning that he just arrived from abroad around June last year.

All through the period when the Lagos State House of Assembly was probing into his acquisition of 820 buses, running into billions of naira, Ambode was only responding through his aides as he kept silent. He only sued the House when it was glaring that the lawmakers were about to issue an arrest warrant and invite him to appear before the House to explain his role in the bus purchase. But through these, he spoke through his lawyers.

The Assembly had accused the former governor of going ahead to purchase the vehicles without budgetary approval from the House.

The former governor had gone through a thorny road in 2019. He was deprived of being a Minister by political warlords. He was rudely shaken by the EFCC in an N9.9 billion traced to his office.

The Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the freezing of three bank accounts domiciled in First City Monument Bank, Access Bank and Zenith Bank, with account number 5617984012, 0060949275 and 1011691254, respectively. But nothing has been heard of the case since then.