By Olanrewaju Adesanya
Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), the Lagos State PDP Governorship Candidate in 2023 General Elections has declared that he is now the party’s apex leader in the state, citing the conducts of Chief Olabode George and Prince Deji Doherty the Chairman of Atiku/Okowa Presidential campaign Council (PCC) prior to the election as one which derobes them of any leadership status in the party forthwith.
Adediran made this assertion during a ‘Thank You Parley’ organized to appreciate party faithful, leaders and members of his campaign council and non-partisan individuals who supported his governorship ambition.
“By the constitution of our party and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as the candidate of the party today in Lagos State, I am the leader.I am saying this with due respect to all other faithful, leaders that I met in PDP.
“They should know this is a constitutional matter, I do not have control over it except I choose to leave tomorrow, and I am not going anywhere. This is my party.
“For every party member, looking for a true leader that is selfless, a leader you can beat your chest over, I am ready to provide leadership for all of you irrespective of your affiliation I urge you to come back.”
He also posited that the event is not to mourn the past but for him to genuinely appreciate all that had sleepless nights with him during the 2023 electioneering.
“In 2023 election, we worked, we went everywhere-places that had never been visited in the history of this state politically- to campaign to people. We have slept in many local government areas and stayed with the people. That was the kind of rigorous campaign we ran in 2023 elections.
“One cannot put in such investments and some people decided to play against the party, and one won’t get pained. We didn’t lose 2023 election because we didn’t work, no! It has been their style every election cycle, in 2017 Local Government election they worked for Labour Party, in 2019, they declared support for ADP.
“That is why I am here to appreciate all of you. You are my heroes, you did very well.
“We ran a campaign like never before. I brought you together to say thank you. You did well.We have chose this path, there is no going back. We will stay firm so as to give Lagos a breath of fresh air,” he added.
Urging the National leadership of the party to listen the voice of reasoning of patriotic and loyal leaders calling for firm action against unpatriotic leaders, Adediran said that no one would take the party serious if such leaders were still forced on the people.
“Any leader who doesn’t want to be a member of PDP again should carry his bag and go. The party at the National should listen, if a supposed leader instructed members not to vote for Atiku/Okowa and his governorship candidate in a live TV broadcast. For the party to again foist such a person on us, who will take that party serious?
“It is time to look at the like-minds to forge the party ahead.For those who have declared for Labour Party, they should stay there, for those who have gone to APC, they should enjoy it. Those of us who remain, let us know ourselves,” he said.
Stating that he had no regret whatsoever contesting in the poll, the PDP leader said that he was rather proud about his achievements in the election.
He said that some PDP leaders had been working against the party over the years and it has become their stock in trade.
Speaking on the state of the nation, Adediran urged President Bola Tinubu to seek assistance wherever it could be found, and engage right people to end the suffering of the masses.
Jandor, who faulted the idea of palliative introduced by the federal government, said that the sudden removal of fuel subsidy had brought about untold hardship to the people, as no well thought out preparation was made to ameliorate the likely shocks this eventually had on the nation’s dollarized economy.
He stressed that the minimum wage issue should have been commensurately addressed to create a buffer for workers, whose purchasing powers was adversely affected, while the standard of living gallops to an unbearable altitude.
Otunba Segun Adewale, a former Lagos PDP Chairman and the Lagos West Senatorial District candidate who could not hide his disappointment in the perceived betrayal of trust by supposed leaders , blamed the repeated defeat of PDP in Lagos State on unpatriotic leaders, who usually corner funds for election logistics to weaken party’s chances of winning.
Adewale, who vowed to support Adediran if he would be running in 2027 general elections, said he remained in PDP till the moment because of the candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“I am not pleased with the tales of our failure and in 2027 I urge you to secure your ticket first and slug it out at the polls to win, after then you can decide who gets what.
“I will support you in 2027 but please no reconciliation with anybody,politics is about survival of the fittest. Share no money with anyone or any leader bring the logistic funds home to your loyal followers and take power first that is the rule in politics.Doherty stole the money meant for all.
Adewale said that the party needed more transparency in choices of candidates and management of elections logistics,adding that the leadership in the party should not be by age but by electoral weight and performance at polling units, wards and local government.
“It is only a mad man that will keep doing same thing same.way and expect different results. They see every election as avenue for them to make money,if you reconcile with them,they will take the money and bolt away again, please don’t define leadership by age and trust no one.
“We will stay with you, but let us recognise those who are enemies of the party and do things differently if we want to win,” Adewale , popularly known as Aeroland, said.
Commending Lagos PDP members who were still loyal to the party, Adewale, “It is not easy to be a PDP members in Lagos. We have been failing and failing yet many are still with us.”
Also speaking at the event, Pa Christopher Osoba, a PDP Chieftain, who urged the candidate not to be discouraged by the outcome of the poll, promised to still support him in the next electoral cycle.
Calling on party leaders and members to come together, work together, and end all the grievances, the party elder said with unity it was possible for the party to still win Lagos State.
“We should put round peg in round hole. We have learnt our lessons. We should forget the past and move forward,” Osoba said.