We’ll never step down for Jandor, Lagos guber candidates say
Two governorship candidates in Lagos State have denied their purported withdrawal from the 2023 governorship race for Olajide Adediran aka Jandor, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A few days ago, a section of media reported the withdrawal of the Lagos Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) governorship candidate, Adenipebi Adekunle and his Action Peoples Party (APP) counterpart, Mrs Adeyemi Abiola for Jandor after a news conference by the Conference of Registered and Deregistered Political Parties (CPP) in Lagos on Monday, which they belonged to.
The duo, at a news conference held at the Lagos State Secretariat of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) said neither them nor executives of their parties were present at the news conference by the CPP to give such an endorsement.
The two candidates denied the report, saying there was nothing like that and it was disheartening that Jandor could spread falsehood of their withdrawals.
Adekunle said: “My attention has been drawn to the report making the rounds that I have stepped down for Jandor.
“I have to debunk this. It is not true, it cannot be true and it can never be true. I am fully active in the race.
“I am tightening my mobilisation, consultation and campaign. I am ready to win the governorship election in 2023. My party is ready to form the new government in the state.
“On that basis, I will not step down for the PDP candidate, I have not stepped down and I will never step down.”
He said that he was not a founding member of the CPP but was added to the group based on his political popularity and strength.
Adekunle said the purpose of the CPP was for all candidates to come together and reason among themselves so as to support the best candidate in the 2023 governorship election.
“We are supposed to meet to look at the credibility of each candidate and pick the best. I know I am sound and better, hence I keyed in.
“I made it clear that my name and that of my party should not be mentioned there,” he said.
He said that he only met Jandor for three minutes on Monday and that the PDP candidate asked if they could have a working agreement.
He said that Jandor promised to get back to him for discussion, saying: “This was all. We have not reached any agreement. Withdrawing for him is not true. I will never be part of illegalities.
“We have not met as agreed to know who is more qualified to lead in the CPP. We have not done that. We never had an agreement.”
Promising to continue his campaign, Adekunle said that only God and the people would decide the next governor of the state.
Adekunle said he would prefer the PDP candidate to step down and work for him because of his (Adekunle) tested character, courage, capacity, and competence to lead the state as a teacher and chartered public manager.
According to him, his party is open to good governance and a better life for Lagos residents and Nigerians, hence his readiness to listen to any party which prioritises those.
Also speaking, Abiola said it became imperative to debunk the rumour of her purported stepping down to endorse the PDP candidate because of her supporters and political career.
“We are surprised to read in the media, the purported stepping down. We do not want anybody to spoil our reputation politically.
“I want to categorically tell you here that I never stepped down for him (Jandor) or his party or has the intention of stepping down for him or his party, PDP in the nearest future.
“Yes, I was initially with them (Jandor) because of his youthfulness and utterances regarding how he is going to make a change, but on closer observations, I discovered he has nothing better to offer Lagosians.
“Because of the above, I boycotted the Press briefing with my colleague (Adekunle) here and nobody will see me in the pictures taken at the briefing. You can go and verify this claim.
Adeyemi stated that she had kicked off her campaign.
