By Akinwale Kasali
Samuel Ajose, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos and former Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the 2023 Governorship Election in Lagos State, Abdulazeez Adediran, popular as Jandor, who cross carpeted to the APC have both picked the APC Governorship Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.
They have both snubbed Monday’s endorsement of Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Party’s Consensus Candidate, alongside members of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, the highest advisory body of APC, in the State; Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, APC State Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, alongside other Party Stakeholders.
Ajose had posted on his official X handle on Wednesday that
the move signals a definitive step forward in his aspiration to “serve as Governor of Lagos State on the platform of our great party, the APC.
“This moment is bigger than a political process, It is a personal commitment to purposeful leadership, inclusive governance, and the kind of progress that every Lagosian can feel and point to.
“My resolve is rooted in service, anchored in a clear vision, and driven by one conviction; that Lagos deserves development which reaches every community, creates real opportunities for its people, and leaves no one behind.
“I begin this journey with humility, courage, and complete faith in God and in the good people of Lagos. Together, we are building something this state will be proud of”.
Ajose had stated in an interview on Channels Television that he is surprised that Hamzat is running helter skelter to be endorsed, challenging him to an Open APC Governorship Primaries.
In same manner, Jandor stated that insinuations that President Bola Tinubu has endorsed a Candidate is false and misinformation from some people who are bent on disrupting electoral process.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Monday, Jandor pushed back against the growing narrative that the race has already been settled in Hamzat’s favour, saying that, “No, the President hasn’t endorsed anyone. I am an aspirant, and we are a few people also gunning for this. We will be the first set of people to know if there is anything like that because communication will come,” he said.
He further stated that the endorsement of Hamzat by Governor Sanwo-Olu does not hold water, stating that anybody can endorse a Candidate; stressing that all Aspirants will go for Open Primaries, with the choice of the people hoisting the Party flag.
Just like Ajose, Jandor remains unperturbed by the power play and endorsement of Hamzat as they are fully prepared for Primaries.
On Tuesday, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, House of Representatives Member, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency had purchased his Expression of Interest and Nomination Form to return to the National Assembly, and also bought the Governorship Expression of Interest and Nomination Form for Hamzat.
It would be recalled that it was Faleke that first endorsed Hamzat for Governor, generating controversies among the the Lagos APC before the Justice Forum and the Mandate Group, bodies under the APC aligned with him, and went on to endorse him as a Consensus Candidate of the APC.
With the decision of Ajose and Jandor to water down the influence of the GAC, Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Justice Forum and Mandate Group, political observers say that the battle for who clinches the APC Governorship ticket will be tough.
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