With the commencement of electioneering ahead of the 2023 general election, the battle for who rules Lagos State has begun in earnest, with political actors and gubernatorial candidates kicking off their campaigns, in what is expected to be a keenly contested gubernatorial election among the two dominance political parties in the state.
Observers have predicted that perhaps, next year’s gubernatorial election in Lagos State could be a major test for the Bola Tinubu-led political oligarchy in Lagos.
Tinubu, presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for the 2023 general election, ruled Lagos from 1999-2007, but since he left office, he has successfully enthroned his loyalists as governors of the state.
Despite two decades of failed attempts to dislodge Tinubu’s dominance of Lagos politics, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is optimistic that there is some glimmer of hope going into the elections next year.
The party chieftains in the state say recent electoral reforms would shape the outcome of the general election.
Thus, in his quest to end the reign of the APC government in Lagos State by defeating the incumbent Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly called Jandor, is leaving no stone unturned.
In recent days, Jandor has hit the ground running by commencing his campaign, which would take him to all the 245 wards and twenty local governments in Lagos State.
Flagging off his campaign in Alimosho Local Government, alongside his running mate, Olufunke Akindele, at Akowonjo area last week, Jandor said that he was depending on God and the people to emerge winner at the 2023 general election.
Read also: 2023: PDP to amend unpopular policies if voted into power, Funke Akindele assures
The PDP candidate promised to return governance and state resources to the people, pledging to pursue only programmes and policies that would be of immense benefit to the people.
While addressing the people, Jandor said that he was interested in involving Lagosians in his government and that he would not be a governor that would be in the Government House in Alausa, without knowing what is happening across the state, which informed his decision to personally do a tour of all the wards and have a feel of what the people are passing through.
“The people deserve better dividends of democracy, considering the huge resources deposited in Lagos State.’’
“We have sat down and mapped out strategies to make Lagos work. If the government can build roads for free, it can build houses for free. We can have affordable houses.
“We are going to partner with the private sector to make sure we have affordable housing because the government alone cannot do that alone.
“I saw all the inner roads. We are going everywhere because we want to have an idea of what people are going through,” he said.
In Alimosho, the PDP candidate was received by groups like Tailors Association, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Community leaders, traditional rulers, non-Yoruba speaking community among others.
While appreciating the tailors association, led by Hakeem Kolade, its president, Jandor said, “You are going to have a lot in my administration. I want us to run the four years term. We want to do it together. It is now left in your hands.
“My free education will provide free school uniforms for all students and tailors in each local government will be responsible for sewing these uniforms every quarter.
“I don’t want to be running the government from afar; I came to you to know what you are going through. I plan to spend three days here to fill the pulse of the people at the grassroots.”
The 45-year-old PDP governorship candidate, also met with non-Yoruba speaking communities represented by Ndigbo group, South-South and Arewa groups, and they promised to support him with their votes in 2023.
Favour Adamu, leader of Arewa group in Alimosho complained that her people are neglected by the ruling party and that an opportunity has come for them to elect someone who will align with them and assured Jandor that his members would give 100 percent support.
Corroborating Adamu, a group of Arewa pastors represented by Babangida Manassah Kassai, promised that his members of over 5,000 in Alimosho would ensure that the PDP candidate emerges the Lagos State governor in 2023.
“We are promising you 100 percent support because we are tired of the All Progressives Congress (APC), insecurity, kidnapping and other menace. We need two vehicles, one for the Muslims and one for the Christians to move round the state and canvass for votes for you among other members of the group across the state. We have over 5,000 members and that will impact your votes at the polls.”
The gubernatorial candidate promised the non-Yoruba speaking community that he would not shut down the markets or take away the means of livelihood of any people no matter the offence any individual must have commuted; rather he would punish the individual who commits any offence.
According to Jandor, “Non-Yoruba speaking communities in Lagos State has contributed to the development of the state.
“I will make sure that your members are the ones who will control their markets and not any Iyaloja or Babaloja. I will not take away your means of livelihood. I will make sure that your markets are not shut down. The government that has been in power for 23 years has done nothing for you. My government will work for Lagosians.”
Jandor assured the people that his government would not leave anybody behind, stressing that the interest of Lagosians will be the first in his decision making.
While speaking with residents of Badagry and also the league of Imams in the Badagry Division, which comprises Imams in the Badagry, Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, and Ajeromi-Ifelodun local government areas of the state, he assured them that his administration would work for the interest of Lagosians because his decision would not need second approval from any godfather.
“It is God that made you Imams of this division, if the ruling party that has neglected you over the years brings their money, collect it but vote your conscience.
“Badagry can be sure that I would work for their interest. I would work for the people of Lagos and put their interest first in decision-making,” Jandor stressed.
Also speaking during a visit to a coalition of artisans and physically challenged people in the Agamadeh part of Badagry, Jandor promised to set up a Ministry for the physically challenged people in the state and it would be headed by one of them.
He said having hailed from the division; he would work for its development to erase years of neglect by successive administrations.
He urged the artisans and the People Living with Disabilities to vote for PDP candidates at all levels in the state, stressing that the ruling party and their candidates had failed Lagosians.
Barnabas Abiodun Raji, the leader of the People Living with Disabilities, and Comrade Kola Alatise, the chairman of Coalition of Artisans in the Local Government pledged the support of their members for the gubernatorial bid of Jandor and his running mate, Olufunke Akindele, vowing to mobilise members to vote for him.
The PDP gubernatorial candidate, during his visit to the palace of Oba Akran of Badagry, Oba De Wheno Aholu, the Menu-Toyi 1, promised to bring development to the area which he said has been forgotten by the ruling party in Lagos State.
In his continuation tour of the wards across Lagos State, having concluded tour of the 11 wards in Alimosho Local Government Area on Thursday and commenced a tour of Badary wards, he noted that out of the five divisions in Lagos State, only Lagos and Ikeja divisions are given priority in terms of infrastructural development while, Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry have been neglected by the ruling party, and promised to bring development to all divisions of Lagos State and Badagry in particular.
He said: “After a research I discovered that Badagry, Ikorodu and Epe are left behind in terms of development
“There is no way I will become a governor and not make developments come here. When God grants me victory I will make sure that I build bridges, provide other infrastructure so that the value of property in Badagry will improve. If they talk about Banana Island somewhere, there will also be Coconut Island here.
“We want your support and prayers, and I know that God will answer your prayers.
“I want to let you know that I grew up in this palace. If you support me to become governor, I will not disappoint you. We will make Lagos State work for Lagos people.
“I will work for everybody; nobody will be excluded in my government irrespective of party affiliations.”
Among the governorship entourage are the state chairman of the party, Philip Aivoji, Alaja Tanwa Olusi, Niyi Adams and a host of other chieftains and supporters.
Jandor had earlier visited wards G and F in Badagry Local Government Area in Ajido, stated that God has written it that a time was coming that a son of the soil would be the next Governor and that He had chosen someone from the riverine area.
He said that they have been supporting people from other places to be governors in Lagos State, but that time has come that it should no longer be given to just anybody.
“We have been going everywhere; we were in Alimosho for three days. It is time for the son of the soil to do it. No matter what happens we will see some of us who want the status quo to remain. But we will not fight them.
“Just call them to one side and discuss with them, you will discover that they are selfish because they are the ones benefiting from a government that does not care for the people,” he said.
He added, “We want to have a government of the masses. I used to travel on water with my mother and I am used to this place, so I want to repair them.
“We want to appeal to our traditional rulers to help us. Some of these people would come with money and the money is to take away your rights.
“Are you still spending the money they gave you four years ago? You can see the difference between the Baales here and those in the city,” he said.
The governorship candidate urged the youths to talk to their friends, including those in the APC and let them know that it is time for the son of the soil to take over, pointing out that top politicians in the area like Sunny Ajose and others in the APC and the PDP would be recognised in his government.
According to him, “People can be in another party, but they would vote for him as their son.
“All the Deputy Governors and APC party chairmen have been giving us what they have achieved.
“I can tell you that even the Chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Cornelius Ojelabi would vote for the PDP in 2023. I told him before I started the race. When I become the governor I would take care of him.
“I am not going to be a PDP or APC Governor; I would be the governor of all. Since they have been ruling they have not been able to complete Badagry Expressway unlike what they did in Lekki.
“When we get into office, we will construct a bridge in Badagry. Don’t be afraid, it is just eight hours on Election Day and they cannot rig this election. We have been winning against them in the Badagry Division all along.”
