Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate, Jandor, Resigns From Party

The Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Dr Olajide AbdulAzeez Adediran aka Jandor, has resigned from the party.

Adediran announced his resignation, while addressing the media in his campaign office in Ikeja on Monday in the presence of some of the supporters of his group, Lagos4Lagos from across the 20 local governments in the state.

Recalling the events that characterised the election, and the roles played by the leaders of the party, Jandor stated that it has become evident that the leadership of the party, both at the state and national levels, has to uphold the ideals of democracy and good governance.

"As the governorship candidate in the 2023 election, we ran a campaign based on transformation, development and the desire for positive change, but unfortunately, the internal betrayals and lack of commitment from the party leadership hindered our chances and left many of our supporters dewildered and disillusioned.

"Today is 15 days to exactly two years that I contested for the office of the Governor of Lagos State. During that electioneering process, we enjoyed passionate and unwavering support from party loyalists, especially at the grassroots, however, some leaders within the party saw candidacy as a threat to their daily bread.

"A few days after the election, it is of public knowledge that the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, while justifying the outcome on Channels TV Morning Show, revealed to Lagosians and Nigerians alike that the PDP couldn't have won the election because most of the leaders of the party worked against us. He mentioned names of leaders that left the party to work for them, including the Presidential Campaign Committee Chairman in the state, Mr Adedeji Doherty.

"Till today, none of the party leaders he mentioned have rebutted his claims, rather they still have the audacity and effrontery to continue to parade themselves as party leaders," he said.

Jandor recalled that his team was attacked six times during the campaign, but that neither the state chairman of the party nor any leaders as such issued a statement condemning such attacks.

He added that a few days after the election, "the supposed leader of the party in Lagos State, Chief Bode George , who had earlier publicly campaigned against the presidential candidate of the PDP, openly declared support for the gubernatorial candidate of another party in a press conference and also advised Lagosians not to vote for the party he claimed to be leading as a member of the Board of Trustees."

According to Jandor, on the eve of the election, the State Chairman of the party "Mr. Philip Aivoji, issued a false statement on all PDP platforms, speaking to an alliance that never existed, thereby telling all Lagosians that we have withdrawn from the election."

"After the election, we officially complained to the party at the national level believing and expecting that the appropriate sanctions will be applied to all those that committed these anti-party offences in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution, but to our utmost chagrin,  the party at the center  appointed Chief Olabode George as Vice Chairman of a disciplinary committee! 

"The same man who openly worked against the party during the 2023 election was appointed into the disciplinary committee, what a rude shock. This singular action turned the party into a joke. 

"We have waited this long, to see if there will be some sort of respite, but what we see, even at the top is that the same set of leaders that campaigned and worked openly against the party are the ones holding the aces today. 

"How do we trust the same people again in the next election cycle and how do we forgive those who are not sorry for their misdeeds? 

"After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, political associates, and supporters, we have made the difficult decision to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party," he said.

He however added that his commitment to the people of Lagos remains unwavering, saying that he will continue to advocate for policies and initiatives that will uplift the state, regardless of his political affiliation.

He said; "Moving forward, we will be engaging with stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to determine the next course of action that best serves the interests of Lagosians.

"To our supporters, we thank you for your unwavering belief in our vision of a breath of fresh air in the governance of our dear state. 

"This is not the end of our journey but the beginning of a new chapter, a transition to the realization of our shared vision and aspiration, one driven by sincerity, progress, and the true essence of service to the people," he stated.