Over 5000 members of Lagos4Lagos Movement dump PDP for APC

Some members of the Lagos4Lagos Movement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.

The defectors, who were more than 5,000 including, coordinators of the members of the campaign team of PDP governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran (Jandor) were received by the state Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the state party Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Sen. Ganiyu Solomon, Fuoad Oki and members of the state Executive Council at the party secretariat on Thursday.

In his opening remark, Ojelabi described the defection as a step in the right direction.

He said: “They have realised it is time to take the right decision and join the winning team. Thank you for finding it necessary to return to the progressives family and be part of the process of developing Lagos State. You have taken the right decision because this is your party and the right party that has contributed in no small measure to the development of the state.

“This is the only state that has achieved nothing less than 85 per cent of budget performance every year. The only selling point of the opposition is that the electorate should vote for the Aworis but I say the Aworis are for the APC because our party is the only party that has given Aworis opportunities to serve under the state.

“I urge us to use our votes as our investments for the betterment of Lagos State and for all Nigerians.”

While receiving the defectors, Hamzat said that it was a thing of pleasure to welcome them into the Lagos APC.

Hamzat said: “I am very happy not because I am welcoming you back into the party but because there is no society that is good without good leaders and people of good intentions.

” This is the time for Nigeria to have the right leadership. Tinubu has the eye for talents and that is what we need in the country. In welcoming you, I must say you have made the right decision by joining the progressives.”

Leader of Team Jandor in the PDP and diaspora, Idowu Daramola said lack of accountability and transparency on the part of Jandor was the reason for their defection.

He said: “We came together to support Jandor because we believed he had a vision but what we met on ground was not what we thought. The journey started when Kunle Dabiri introduced Jandor to me in the United States of America.

“We contributed a lot of money for his campaign. We raised funds for the PDP governorship form he collected and we have been funding him non-stop since then. When he wanted to defect from APC to PDP, we were behind his defection.

“But things changed when the chairman of the party emerged from Ojo Local Government. This was when we felt its time to leave the party for the PDP. We raised N18million for his defection to PDP.

“The ticket of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu presidential ticket changed the narrations. It was at this time I called other members that it is time we move. This is a generational change. I felt this is the time for all Yoruba to think twice and support Tinubu presidency and the second term bid of Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Its time for us to go back and do the right thing.

“If you have a leader that is not accountable to his people then the group is destined for destruction.

“When Jandor picked his deputy we were not notified. He chose his deputy all by himself without consulting us. For this, we said we are returning to the APC.”

Coordinator, Diaspora for Jandor in South Africa and the Southern region, Tunde Kazeem, said: “We have been supporting Jandor since his declaration for the governorship seat. For some of us here, majority of this crowd are from the PDP. When Dabiri came up with this idea of defection citing lack of transparency and accountability to the donors as the reason, we reasoned along. Jandor is not someone we can entrust the state to. We are pleased that you have welcome us home. I feel at home already.”

Chairman, Jandor Legacy Forum, Hammed Mofeola said: “I mobilised for Jandor both here in Lagos and in the diaspora. I have observed the trajectory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His history of making excellent leaders from Fashola, Ambode to Sanwo-Olu, I cannot but agree to all his good deeds.

” Therefore it’s a must for Tinubu to be president come 2023 because he has done a great deal for Lagos and the entire country. We must not relent in our efforts to attaining victory for the party 2023.”

Women leader, Lagos4Lagos, Mrs Jumoke Fakoya said: “I have been with Jandor for three years but today we are here to declare our supports for the Progressives. We are from Ikorodu Central. We declare with all our members for Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu and other candidates of our new Party.”