The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos has denied multiple claims spreading on social media that its leaders were in talks with the Labour Party (LP) for an alliance ahead of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
According to the party’s publicity secretary, Hakeem Amode, in a statement on Monday, the report that the PDP governorship candidate, Abdulazeez ‘Jandor’ Adediran, was planning to step down is fake news.
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He said it was imperative to debunk claims by the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, that he was talking with “the real owners of PDP structure in Lagos State”.
In a report by the Guardian newspaper, the LP candidate was quoted as saying, “We are talking to the owner of the structure of PDP. In the coming days, we will align with them to ensure that we take Lagos to the next level.
“People that are behind this movement are not moved by money; they are voting for hope, moved by the hope of a new Lagos and they are going to come out more than before. People have seen how one man in his interest rubbished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) process; so, we are ready to fight.”
But Mr Amode said the statement was a “disrespect to PDP, as no one can lay claims to the ownership structure of the PDP. PDP is a proper democratic party and it’s only the state executive of the party as recognised by the national body that can be described as the custodian of the PDP under the leadership of the party’s Governorship Candidate Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor).
“So, whoever Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is talking to are only representing themselves and not Lagos PDP, as no official conversation across the two-party lines at the moment, and Jandor is not planning to step down for any candidate.”
Mr Amode said the Jandor brand is a household name in the state which he has earned on his “own merit due to his immense hard work and he’s not riding on any sudden waves.
“We are using this opportunity to urge our teeming supporters and good people of Lagos that the decision of the people to ensure that Lagos breaks free will be respected and defended in the coming gubernatorial election of March 11.
“The efforts to liberate Lagos from the present oligarchy government of APC cannot be undermined by people who do not see such a great battle that must be won and cannot be subjected to social media cruise.”
