Showunmi, Jandor pick PDP’s governorship forms

Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun and Lagos states, Mr Segun Showunmi and Abdul Azeez Adediran, popularly called (Jandor) have picked the nomination forms for the 2023 elections.

The duo picked the forms at the party’s Secretariat in Abuja amidst well wishers and their supporters, where they promised to deliver the states to PDP come 2023

Showunmi, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation in the 2019 presidential election, had received the endorsements of thousands of party faithful across the 20 local government Areas of Ogun State, including leaders of opposition parties, in a massive rally last Wednesday.

He was accompanied to the PDP National Secretariat by a crowd of party chieftains and loyalists, who insisted that it was time to redefine governance in Ogun State, noting that in Showunmi, they had seen a window through which the status quo could be changed effectively.

One of the supporters, Alabi Majekodunmi, said, “I have been watching him and I dare say this is one of the most intelligent Nigerians around. He has the capacity, I’ve not seen any like it before. I watched his declaration, and I want to agree that he is truly the leader that he had been searching for all along. I read on Facebook that he would be picking his form today and here I am. Not only me, many of us here,” the quantity surveyor said.

Responding, Showunmi said he was confident of victory in the 2023 Ogun race, noting that there were no fears, either within the party or across party lines.

He, however, stressed that he was humbled by the large turnout of supporters who had urged him on, non-stop, to put his hat in the ring.

Showunmi said, “I am humbled, to say the least. People paid their way in these hard times from everywhere to stand with me today. You have continued to call on me to contest the governorship of our dear Ogun State, and today I have demonstrated that I have heard you clearly. The job has started, let’s go there.

“I don’t have gold to give for this overwhelming support, neither do I have silver. But I assure you, I will make the people of Ogun State and my humble self proud as I take sure footed steps, abiding by selfless principles, on this journey to the next level of leadership.”

JANDOR in company of  PDP leaders, including Dr. Niran Adeniji, former national deputy chairman SURE-P, Alhaja Tanwa Olusi, Lagos4Lagos state chairman Prince Sunday Ajayi, Lagos4Lagos Principal co-ordinator Hon. Bode Makinde, Chief Fatai Shodimu, Hon. Hakeem Adebayo, Chief Deji Wellington, immediate past Lagos PDP state treasurer, Hon. Shamsideen Arobieke and Prince Aderinola Adesina, was at the party secretariat in Abuja to purchase the nomination form expressing his intention to run for Lagos Governorship seat under the party.

According to Jandor, focus, doggedness and determination to rescue Lagos residents from the stranglehold of repeated dictatorship and clueless governance motivated some of his friends, referred to as Friends of Jandor (FOJ), to align with the vision and support him with the funds used to purchase the nomination form.

Upon picking the form, Jandor proceeded to the office of the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, to present the nomination forms to him and also express appreciation for his attendance at the official cross-over ceremony of members of Lagos4lagos into the PDP, which held in Lagos in January.

Jandor reiterated the importance of having a new face to govern the affairs of Lagos come 2023.

He said: “It is exactly 60 days to the primary election which will come up 21st of May, it is such a significant day and being the first to pick the form in Lagos speaks volume about our level of seriousness, it shows that we aren’t joking and we are in this to win”

He added; “In the past elections, statistics have shown that PDP has been polling between 34 per to 36 per cent of total votes and with us (Lagos4Lagos movement) coming into the party with our huge numbers, it is exactly what PDP needs to win the state, the huge numbers we brought into the party is a defining deficit for the APC and a definite plus in PDP.”