Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Conference of Registered and Deregistered Political Parties (CPP) in Lagos State has endorsed Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), the PDP’s candidate for governor.
Dr. Akin Badmus, the chairman of the CPP, said in a statement that the endorsement had become essential due to the state’s lack of democratic benefits and the necessity to work together with the major opposition party to remove the ruling APC.
The co-political group, dispersed throughout the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas, had decided to support Adediran and PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, according to Badmus, who is also the Lagos State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).
Badmus said: “Looking at the robust economy of Lagos State with highest internally generated revenue in Nigeria, the dividend of democracy in Lagos is nothing to write about to compare to her robust economy, population and revenue.
“It is a fact that the cost of living in Lagos is very high with revenue that does not reflect in the development of Lagos State,” he said.
He said that his choice to adopt Adediran was motivated by his desire to end the suffering experienced by citizens of Lagos.
He added that locals’ woes and suffering had been made worse by the state’s unregulated motor tout abuses, which the CPP thought Adediran would end if supported and elected.
Badmus said that the support for Adediran was also based on their conviction that, if elected, he would rebuild the state’s crumbling infrastructure and start new ones.
He said: “This is the time PDP is taking over, APC is no longer the choice of Lagos residents.
“We believe in the candidacy of Jandor who has been going all around Lagos, visiting all the 245 wards for his electioneering campaign, a feat that has never been done by any politician in the history of Lagos.
“That is evidence of a governorship candidate that truly wants to govern the people and make Lagos work.
“So today, the entire 30 political parties comprises both registered and de-registered, and as such, direct all our followers to begin a massive campaign for the PDP in Lagos State.”
Adediran thanked the party supporting his desire and himself for their faith in him in his response.
“Coming here in the opposition camp, shows that you truly mean business and you want to be part of the liberation of Lagos.
“Wholeheartedly, we want to welcome you, embrace you and from today onward, we have considered you as a crucial part of this struggle and together we are going to birth that breath of fresh air in Lagos.”
In the past month, Adediran said that his campaign tour had visited 98 out of the 245 wards in the state. He claimed that his grassroots interactions had made him aware of the plight of citizens and the state of the infrastructure.
He claimed that his team’s campaign strategy demonstrated that they valued effort and that only effort could help the party achieve its goals.
He encouraged the CPP to work with him and his staff to reach out to voters and engage them on a grassroots level.
A supporter of the CPP’s action, Mr. Niyi Adams, Head, Campaign and Strategies, Jandor/Funke Campaign Organization, described it as a way to liberate the state from those who held it prisoner.
Representatives from the Action People’s Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), People’s Trust Party, Fresh Democratic Party, Save Nigeria Congress, and National Unity Party were present for the endorsement.
Other parties were the Movement of the People, National Interest Party, Communist Party of Nigeria, Rebuild Nigeria Party, and National Democratic Party.
