Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, the man chosen by All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola next year, has been disowned by the family to which he claims to belong.

In a statement in Lagos signed by Alhaji M. Oladeinde Edu and Alhaji T. A. Edu, the Baale Buraimo Edu Family of Epe declared that contrary to his claim, Ambode, who was last week endorsed by Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, hails from Ilaje in Ondo State.

The statement said as follows regarding the one-time Lagos Accountant-General: “We hereby bring it to the notice of all Lagosians that we have tried but could not trace where the said Akinwumi Ambode belongs in the family tree of Baale Buraimo Edu of Epe.

“At this juncture, we can categorically state here that in actual fact, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode was a son of Festus Akinwale Ambode, one of the teachers posted to Epe in the old Western Region; a native of Ilaje Ese Odo in the present day Ondo State.

“As a school teacher, the elder Ambode was very familiar and friendly with several Epe indigenes. The older Ambode came to Epe through the waterways. He came with his wife, Christianah Oluleye Ambode (nee Oresanya), who though initially did not stay with him which made the older Ambode marry a second wife, an Epe daughter, popularly called ‘Iya Vice from Poka, Epe.

“She was a food seller in Epe Grammar School. This development led to Akinwunmi Ambode’s mother who also hails from Ilaje Ese Odo in Ondo State to eventually relocate to Epe to stay with her husband.”

The statement said that when Ambode’s father died, “The royalty from the kingdom came with the full royal insignia and ferried his remains back to Ilaje land for interment.

“With these facts stated above, it is a rude shock to the entire clan of the Edus in Epe that the said Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is laying claims to being a clan of the Edus. We reject this linkage, both paternal and maternal, or even marital.”

•Photo shows anointed Lagos APC guber candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.

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