Politics

Lagos PDP Leaders Reveal Why Jandor Lost 2023 Governorship Election

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2024

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Local Government Chairmen’s Forum in Lagos has stated that their 2023 Governorship candidate, Dr. Olajide Adediran, also known as Jandor, lost the state’s governorship election due to his disregard for important advice and party structures.

The comment comes amidst Jandor’s controversial claim to leadership of the party within the state. Condemning Jandor for laying claim to the party’s leadership structure within the state, the chairmen lamented that Jandor had, since joining the party, disregarded the party’s structure, tradition and rules

The chairmen further allege that Jandor’s selection of a deputy governorship candidate outside the party’s recommendations contributed to internal discord and ultimately led to Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s defection to the Labour Party, LP.

The statement read, “We express our displeasure at the conduct of Jandor and his associates, the attitude of the PDP candidate had been unbecoming since the day of his declaration for the party, where dignitaries of the party, which included some sitting governors and other dignitaries of the party were present including the then sitting governors and the national chairman of the party,(Senator Iyocha Ayu) were present.

“Jandor had disregarded the party’s traditions and structure from the very first day he became the party’s gubernatorial candidate. He became lord unto to himself.

“He disregarded the structures of the party, by single-handedly handpicking candidates for house of representatives and state house of assembly, thereby creating crisis within the party.

“This led to several litigation in the various local government areas, up to the supreme court, a scenario which had never been witnessed by the party before.

“Examples of local governments that were in legal log-jam two weeks before the general election were Oshodi-Isolo LG, Ikeja LG, Mushin LG, Ajeromi LG, Apapa LG, Ikorodu LG.

“Another blunder committed by him was he failed to properly reconcile with the aspirants that contested along with him for the governorship position but were forcefully step-down by ogidi led electoral committee that was sent to Lagos.

“These people paid N25million each to obtain forms. At one instance, one of the aspirants that was forced to step-down called him so that he might make some inputs into agent lists but he outrightly told the fellow that he was not ready to share his agent list with anybody and he will mainly make use of his Lagos for Lagos group.

“Two days after Peter Obi had discussion with Jandor on the issue of working with Labor Party, H.E Atiku Abubakar, our presidential candidate invited Jandor to his Abuja home on the same issue of working arrangement with Labour.

“The meeting which involved H.E Atiku Abubakar, a retired general and one other powerful northern leader. The issue of collaboration was raised and Jandor stated that he was not ready to step down for LP candidate Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and the only condition was for Gbadebo to step down for him because he has his Awori people behind him.

“When the enlarged meeting was not making much progress on the issue of the collaboration, Jandor was asked to suggest the way forward on how they can make progress on the issue of collaboration.

“They suggested that a call should be put across to Chief Olabode George, BG, and seek for his opinion on the way forward.

“From the venue of the meeting in Abuja, a call was put to BG and other notable leaders in Lagos on the issue of working relationship with LP.

“All the leaders made it clear to them the best thing is to have a working relationship with LP. That it is most ideal and reasonable thing to do is for Jandor to step down for Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

“Because the leaders based their analysis on outcome of presidential election of 2023 where LP scored 582,664 votes as against PDP that scored 75,750 votes.

“The PDP chairmen forum equally frowned at jandor’s claim to the leadership of the party in Lagos, in comparison to the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ,whereby state that Atiku Abubakar’s leadership stemmed from his being a founding member of the party ,and being a former Vice President of the country for eight years.

“Jandor was a misgiving to the PDP since 2022, when he joined the party, and in setting the record, he is the worst candidate in terms of performance, but also being the candidate who mostly abused the norms and structure of the party in it’s almost 25 years of existence.

“Jandor’s many sins, include his disregard for the party’s principles and traditions in the selection of the deputy governorship candidate ,as he jettisoned the deputy governorship candidate, Architect Gbadebo Rhodes- Vivour who was unanimously picked by the leadership of the party for him.

“This led to the dumping of PDP by Rhodes-Vivour for the LP. For instance,the forum of LGA chairman recommended and suggested the name of Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as deputy governorship candidate in order to have cohesion and unity of purpose within the party but he disregarded the advice(see the attached of the letter sent to Jaandor by LGA chairmen forum before he picked funke Akindele as his deputy governorship candidate.

“He disregarded the party blatantly, and went on to singlehandedly pick funke Akindele, who was not a member of our party, and not even a politician.

“And that was what led to the cold war whic later snowballed into his trouble with elders of the party led by Chief Olabode George.

“This is a character imposed on the party by the national, if not who knew him, suddenly he became a lord unto himself. He created crisis within the party.

“He did not reconcile with other governorship candidates who contested with him which are more on ground than him before he came and got the party’s ticket, yet he had the effrontery to create crisis within the party with his interference with the emergence of candidates at all levels, which led to several litigations.

“We the PDP LGA chairman forum can no longer condone the waywardness of Jandor and warned him of dire consequences if he fails to desist from his unsavory remarks always against the leadership of the party in the state, like the recent thoughtless remark about being the leadership of the party in Lagos.

“Finally, we hereby affirm that all negative comments made against our foremost and Apex leader in Lagos, Bode George, is uncalled for and unwarranted.”

Politics

FBI records: I’m ready for scrutiny, unlike you, Atiku tells Tinubu

Published

41 minutes ago

September 5, 2026

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Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to open up his records for public scrutiny, just as he has done, insisting that the renewed circulation of decades-old allegations against him is a distraction from the president’s own reluctance to submit to similar examination.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president, described the resurfacing of allegations rooted in the political battles of the President Olusegun Obasanjo era as the convulsion of political opponents cornered by their own failures, unable to defend the hardship Nigerians are enduring and now desperately searching for an Atiku controversy because they cannot survive scrutiny of their own economic record.

“At some point, desperation announces itself. When those defending this government can no longer explain why food, transportation, electricity, rent, education, insecurity and healthcare are increasingly beyond the reach of ordinary families, they rummage through twenty-year-old files looking for an escape route. This is panic dressed up as accountability,” the statement read.

Atiku maintained that the allegations had already been tested through the full machinery of the state during his political disagreement with the Obasanjo administration, and none resulted in a conviction. “Let us not rewrite history. The Obasanjo administration did not protect me. At the height of our political disagreement, these matters travelled through the EFCC, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts. The machinery of the state was fully deployed, and the political hostility was public. Yet no court convicted me on these allegations. That is the record.”

He questioned what new evidence had emerged to justify reviving the allegations nearly two decades later.

According to him, “A petition is not a conviction, an acknowledgement stamp is not evidence of guilt, and repetition cannot magically become a judgment of court.” Anyone with credible evidence against me should bring it out and test it before the law. I have issued that challenge before, and I repeat it today without hesitation.”

Drawing a contrast with the President, Atiku pointed to Tinubu’s intervention in an American court case seeking the release of FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration DEA records concerning him.

“While I am saying, ‘bring out your evidence,’ Tinubu actually went to an American court to intervene in a case seeking FBI and DEA records concerning him, citing privacy interests in records he argued should not be disclosed. It is like a man ordering his neighbour to empty his pockets while keeping his own firmly zipped.

A man seeking protection for his own records has no business waving petitions at somebody else. My challenge is simple: let every lawful record be opened and every allegation tested. Let Nigerians see who welcomes scrutiny and who reaches for privacy arguments when the files concern him,” he said.

He argued, however, that the exchange of allegations does little to address the everyday economic struggles of Nigerians.

Atiku also cautioned against the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC as a tool for political battles, stressing that the agency belongs to the country and not to any individual or party.

He said no amount of recycled allegations could substitute for governance that improves the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the coming elections would ultimately be decided on record and performance, not on old political battles. “The old script did not stop me then, and it will not stop me now. In 2027, Nigerians will judge us by our records, the lives they are living and the future we offer them. Those afraid of that judgment may continue rummaging through the archives. We are facing the Nigerian people.”

Politics

(FULL LIST) 2027: ADC unveils governorship, deputy candidates in 28 states

Published

1 hour ago

September 5, 2026

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The African Democratic Congress has unveiled its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections in 28 states, including former presidential aide Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos, former Kaduna State governorship candidate Isa Ashiru and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

The party also fielded former Delta State governorship candidate Great Ogboru, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina.

The candidates were announced in a statement on Friday, with the party saying they would carry its banner and commitment to providing Nigerians with credible leadership and a “real alternative” in the 2027 elections.

A release by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi also shared on X disclosed this.

Other notable candidates include Senator Halliru Dauda Jika in Bauchi, former House of Representatives member Herman Iorwase Hembe in Benue, former House of Representatives member Zakari Mohammed in Kwara and former Nigerian Army officer Brigadier General John Sunday Sura in Plateau.

The party also fielded candidates in Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

In Lagos, Rhodes-Vivour will contest the governorship with Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere as his running mate, while Ashiru will fly the party’s ticket in Kaduna alongside Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku.

Ogboru is paired with Afiari Gloria in Delta, while Kaita will contest in Katsina with Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed as his running mate.

In Kebbi, Malami will contest alongside Zagi Musa Mohammed.

The ADC said the candidates represented its commitment to offering Nigerians an alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.

ADC unveiled the candidates ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.

Also, governorship campaigns are scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026.

Here is the full list:

ADC governor & deputy governor candidates

Abia: Governor – Kalu Kalu Agu; Deputy Governor – Alozie Ogidimma Darlington.

Adamawa: Governor – Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu; Deputy Governor – Aguwa Kevin Iliya.

Akwa Ibom: Governor – Akpanudoedehe John James; Deputy Governor – Nsien Mkpombuk Tommy.

Bauchi: Governor – Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika; Deputy Governor – Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir.

Benue: Governor – Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe; Deputy Governor – Abba John Abba.

Borno: Governor – Babagana Buhari; Deputy Governor – Mamman Dauda.

Cross River: Governor – Nkoyo Toyo; Deputy Governor – Okwoche Andrew Adagbor.

Delta: Governor – Chief Great Ogboru; Deputy Governor – Afiari Gloria.

Ebonyi: Governor – Ukpai Mba Udeh; Deputy Governor – Onwe Daniel Ede.

Enugu: Governor – Ocho Obodoze Chukwuma; Deputy Governor – Eze Arinze Christopher.

Gombe: Governor – Bala Bello; Deputy Governor – Bala Sani Isa.

Jigawa: Governor – Sabo Mohammed Nakudu; Deputy Governor – Musa Ya’u Balarabe.

Kaduna: Governor – Isa Mohammed Ashiru; Deputy Governor – Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku.

Kano: Governor – Ibrahim Ali Amin; Deputy Governor – Shehu Abdulkadir Bari.

Kastina: Governor – Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita; Deputy Governor – Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed.

Kebbi: Governor – Abubakar Malami; Deputy Governor – Zagi Musa Mohammed.

Kwara: Governor – Zakari Mohammed; Deputy Governor – Olawuyi Julius Olayide.

Lagos State: Governor – Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour; Deputy Governor – Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere.

Nasarawa: Nuhu Angbazo — Governor; Ahmed Yusuf — Deputy Governor

Niger: Dr. Mohammed Kpautagi — Governor; Musa Mamman — Deputy Governor

Ogun: Biodun Collins Ogundipe — Governor; Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi — Deputy Governor

Oyo: Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke — Governor; Wahab Adeniyi — Deputy Governor

Plateau: Brig. Gen. John Sunday Sura — Governor; Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus — Deputy Governor

Rivers: Gabriel Pidomson — Governor; Okumgba David Amapakaye — Deputy Governor

Sokoto: Manir Mohammad Daniya — Governor; Isah Bello Ambarura — Deputy Governor

Taraba: Abubakar Umar Tutare — Governor; Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan — Deputy Governor

Yobe: Kassim G. Gaidam — Governor; Kori Lawan Mohammed — Deputy Governor

Zamfara: Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf — Governor; Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal — Deputy Governor

Politics

Lere Olayinka: Some Presidential Candidates Are Not Contesting To Win 2027 Election But To Make An Impression

Published

11 hours ago

September 4, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said some presidential candidates in the 2027 election are not contesting with the intention of winning but to register their presence and make an impression.

Olayinka stated this during an interview on Arise News on Friday while discussing the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said the number of presidential candidates on the ballot did not necessarily mean that all of them were contesting with the mindset of winning.

“So it is not everybody that contests elections that wants to win. There are people that contest elections just to register their presence. For instance, in this 2027 election, we have 19 presidential candidates.

“Can we say honestly that all the 19 are contesting with the mindset of winning? The answer is no.”

Olayinka cited the 2023 performance of the African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, as an example of why he believed some candidates could not realistically win the presidential election.

“For instance, the candidate of AAC, Omoyele Sowore, had 14,600 votes in 2023. How would that person win the election next year? They know that they cannot win.

“They are just contesting.”

He also extended his argument to the party of former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi.

“Even NDC, the party of Peter Obi, they know they cannot win the election. They are just contesting to try to register their presence.”

According to Olayinka, a party’s grassroots structure and presence across states would also be critical to its ability to compete effectively in a presidential election.

“You don’t have a governorship candidate in 15 states. You only have it in 13. There was an election in Ekiti and Osun recently.

“NDC did not fit candidates. How do you win an election when you don’t have people on ground to canvass votes for you, to manage elections for you?”

He said political parties needed substantial personnel at polling units to effectively manage their operations on election day.

“In Nigeria today, there are 176,846 polling units. To make good impression on election day, you need at least five people to manage each polling unit for you.

“At least. You need five people. We have done elections before, so we know what it is.

“It is not about making noise.”