Ikeja Bomb Blast Linked Tinubu, Pedro, Sanwo-Olu — Ex-Aide

A former Special Assistant to ex-Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, Professor Dapo Thomas, has revealed how the aftermath of the 2002 Ikeja Cantonment bomb explosion played a role in bringing Tinubu, former Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Pedro and current Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu into the same political circle.

According to Ireporter Online, Thomas, a Professor of History at Lagos State University (LASU), made the revelation in his autobiography titled Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics, where he documented significant moments and behind-the-scenes events from the Tinubu administration.

Thomas explained that an assignment he received following the tragic Ikeja Cantonment explosion eventually became a turning point that shaped the political journey of some of Lagos State’s influential figures.

He recalled that after returning from Kampala on January 20, 2002, he was assigned by Governor Tinubu to coordinate visits from corporate bodies, government institutions, financial organisations and other notable Nigerians who came to offer support following the January 27, 2002 explosion.

The blast, which occurred at the Ikeja Cantonment, resulted in hundreds of deaths, numerous injuries and the displacement of thousands of residents.

Thomas said his responsibilities included arranging the order of meetings with the governor and overseeing the receipt of donations before they were officially transferred to the Ministry of Finance.

He revealed that it was during this process that he first encountered Femi Pedro, who was then the Managing Director of First Atlantic Bank.

According to Thomas, Pedro visited the Lagos State Government to present a donation but faced difficulties meeting directly with Governor Tinubu. He explained that the governor had directed that he would no longer personally receive donations below ₦5 million after attending to several visitors, and that smaller contributions should be presented to officials including the Commissioner for Finance or the state’s economic adviser.

Thomas said Pedro’s bank intended to donate ₦1 million but the banker was determined to personally meet Tinubu and appealed for his assistance. He noted that he promised to try and eventually convinced the governor to receive Pedro after another financial institution presented a larger donation.

Thomas said Tinubu expressed surprise at the amount on the cheque when Pedro presented the ₦1 million donation, but he quietly handled the situation to ensure the meeting ended successfully.

He described the encounter as the beginning of the relationship between Tinubu and Pedro, adding that he later helped facilitate further meetings between both men, which strengthened their relationship.

The former aide recalled that less than a year later, while attending a Ford Foundation workshop in South Africa, he learnt that Pedro had been appointed Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

Thomas described the development as remarkable, noting that Pedro had only recently met Tinubu before his appointment.

He further revealed that Pedro later came into office with Yemi Lawal as his Personal Assistant and Babajide Sanwo-Olu as his Special Adviser.

Thomas said he and Sanwo-Olu later discussed the unexpected political journey during a campaign photoshoot at Fototek in Opebi ahead of Tinubu’s second-term governorship campaign.

Reflecting on the events, Thomas said Pedro’s rise demonstrated the unpredictable nature of politics and how relationships formed during critical moments can influence future political developments.

He noted that an individual who once sought his assistance to secure a meeting with the governor eventually became Tinubu’s deputy, with Sanwo-Olu also rising to become a key political figure in Lagos State.