The convener of Lagos4Lagos group, Dr Abdulazeez Olajide Adeniran, popularly known as Jandor across Lagos State, has said that he defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in order to win Lagos State governoship seat for the PDP.
Adeniran said this while speaking at an event, which held at the Ikoyi-Lagos office of a leader of the PDP in Lagos, Chief Olabode George, to inform members of the Lagos PDP family of his arrival in the party.
Adediran said that he is already in the PDP has come to the party to win Lagos for the party come 2023, assuring that he is confident of success in the governorship election.
He said, “I’m already in the PDP. I’m not only coming to the PDP to aspire, but to win Lagos for PDP. I towed this path because where I’m coming from, the APC, there was no freedom and there was leadership problem.”
He disclosed that he has met and had discussions with other governorship aspirants of the party, and pledged to work with whoever emerges the party’s candidate, peradventure he didn’t get the ticket, to win Lagos governorship for the PDP in 2023.
Speaking at the event, former Deputy National Chairman, South, of the PDP, Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George, appealed to members of the PDP family in Lagos State to welcome Adeniran and his group and everyone desirous to join the party in the state, saying that a political party is like a police station or hospital, where the doors are always open.
Insisting that “the more the merrier, George promised all aspirants on the platform of the party level playing ground when the time for contests come.
Describing this period in the history of Lagos PDP as a “new awakening,” George appealed to Lagos PDP members to work in harmony to ensure success come 2023.
He said, “The more the merrier. A good political party does not turn people away. It embraces everyone who can contribute to the progress of the party.”
” This is logical, appropriate, valid and genuine wherever we seek progress and development.”
In his address, the caretaker Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Engr Julius Akinsola, represented by the caretaker secretary, Hon Ade Adeniji, said that the purpose of the gathering is to let all Lagos PDP members “know that Adeniran is a member of the PDP, whose formal defection will take place on January 11, 2022.”
The caretaker chairman disclosed that the gathering was not an endorsement of any candidate.
Adeniran further disclosed, in response to a question whether if his business interests are threatened or he doesn’t win the PDP ticket, he would not retrace his steps, that there is no going back to ‘Egypt’ for him.
He added that he had even been offered the governorship ticket of the APC, but that he refused because he cannot be taking orders from somewhere before performing his statutory functions as governor.
He said that Saturday, December 18, 2021 was initially planned for him and his group, which he said has prominent Lagos indigenes and APC members in its fold, to officially perfect their defection, but this has to be moved to January 11, 2022, to ensure proper preparations.
Leaders of the PDP from across Lagos and Lagos4Lagos were in attendance, including: Chief George; Chief Taiwo Abayomi Kuye; South-West PDP Zonal Secretary, Hon Owokoniran; PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, member, Dr. Charles Akitoye; Hon. Adeniji; Baba Shitta; Dr. Amos Fawole; Dr. Niran Adeniji; Mr. Muyiwa Fafowora; Adediran, among others.
