Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor) has stated that his recent decision to pitch tent with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was fueled by a desire to test his popularity through a fair contest. Speaking during a radio programme on 99.3 Nigeria Info, Daily Digest, Jandor stated that he left the APC because of the undemocratic practice of the party in Lagos State.
In Jandor’s words: “Our decision to join the PDP was motivated by our desire to subject our aspiration to the wish of the generality of Lagosians as against the mood of an individual. In the APC, if you are not in somebody’s good book, you are going nowhere. That played out when we had the ward, L.G.A and state congresses”. Speaking further on the controversial consensus arrangement by the Lagos APC, Jandor stated that the constitutional provision for consensus is usually observed in the breach by Lagos APC.
“If you are talking about consensus, all the tendencies in the party would have to sit down and agree on a sharing formula. But in a situation where they didn’t even call us. Besides, if you want to do a consensus and you have a dissenting voice, the next thing will be for you to go for an elective congress. If you can beat the person, you go to the field to demonstrate that”. He further explained that the PDP adopted the consensus arrangement at all levels except at the state level where there were dissenting voices on the arrangement, leading to the conduct of an elective congress, before it was disrupted and slated for a later date. He added that the democratic manner the PDP conducts its affairs is evident in its rancour-free congresses.
“If the APC had allowed us to go into an elective congress, we would have accepted the outcome. In the PDP, we are going to submit ourselves to a fair contest along with other aspirants from our movement and other groups/aspirants within the PDP. If any of our aspirants, or those from other candidates win or lose in a fair contest, so be it”. Reacting to a question on whether the defection of the movement to the PDP was on the cards ab initio, Jandor stated that the movement had always cut across party affiliation, ethnicity and creed.
“If you look at what we have been doing with Lagos4Lagos movement from Day 1, you would notice that it didn’t know whether you are from the PDP, APC, APGA or any party. We felt we have had enough of I am of the party A or party B thing. We then told ourselves to come together to challenge the monster of underdevelopment under any guise and see how we can end this madness they call governance in the state of Lagos.
He added: “It’s been open because we have all of us doing this together. Let me say that we have an advantage of a huge followership. Within the APC, we have many followers who are ‘invisible’ and are only waiting for that election day to make their decision”.
Commenting on his ability to match the financial muscle of the ruling APC, Jandor said: “It’s not about Naira and Kobo. Let them bring their money on that day. Our people are ready to collect the money and do the needful. They have done all sorts to talk to us. What we have told ourselves is that the moment they offer us money to drop this ambition, it means they know we can win”.
