BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
Leader of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as ‘Jandor,’ and his followers have officially defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Adediran’s official defection ceremony from the All Progressives Congress took place on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Obalende, Lagos.
This came after two initial postponements, one in December 2021 and the other earlier in January 2022, to accommodate other PDP leaders and stakeholders who had indicated interest to attend the ceremony.
At the event which was witnessed by The Point, the Lagos PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Eng. Julius Akinsola, alongside Ojo PDP Local Government Chairman, Hassan Aremu Abass and the Ward 1 Chairman in Ojo PDP, Agboyi Adewole, presented Adediran with his PDP membership card.
In his acceptance speech, Adediran took a swipe at his former party, saying, “We were in APC, they were not ready for contest. We held parallel congresses because they were not ready for contest. They said we were going to do consensus but somebody went somewhere and wrote a list.”
He, therefore, expressed his readiness for a fair contest. Adediran said, “Today, we have been able to move where we can put our numerical strength to test. Today, we have joined a party where we are ready to submit ourselves to a very fair contest. Today, we have declared for the PDP and be rest assured, we are going to join the existing members of the party to win for the party, not for ourselves alone.”
Jandol further extolled the achievement of the PDP leader in the South-West and governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, describing him as the inspiration behind his present ambition.
He said, “They said to us that Jandol, you can’t get it done being in an opposing camp. I said I have somebody who ran for an election without having government at the center and government in his state and defeated both the government at the center and the government at the state as a result of his popularity.”
“That governor came from nowhere just like Jandol. They said he cannot do anything. Has he been counsellor before? Has he been Rep. member before? But he came, saw and conquered them. Today, he is the Okanlomo of South-West Nigeria.
“Today, he is not only a governor, but the PDP leader in the entire states of the South-West. From him, we are going to make this history of producing the rest four governors by 2023 Insha Allah,” Adediran prayed.
He explained to the party that, “we are here to add value, we are here to be a part of the big family and together, we can take Lagos and return it back to Lagos.”
Notable PDP stakeholders who graced the ceremony include the PDP Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; former PDP Chairman, Kawu Baraje; former Vice-Presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Governor Seyi Makinde; and former Ondo governor, Segun Mimiko.
Others present were Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa State; Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa-Ibom State.
