The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), has said he remains the leader of the party at the moment and ready to provide leadership ahead of 2027 elections.

Mr Adediran disclosed this while addressing party faithful and leaders during a ‘Thank you Parley’ to appreciate members of his campaign council and non-partisan individuals who supported his governorship aspiration.

He said, “As far as Jandor is concerned, by the constitution of our party and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as the candidate of the party as of today in Lagos State, I am the leader. I am saying this with due respect to all other faithful leaders that I met in PDP.

“They should know this is the constitutional matter, I do not have control over it except I choose to leave tomorrow, and I am not going anywhere. This is my party. For every party member, who is looking for a true leader that is selfless, a leader you can beat your chest over, I am ready to provide leadership for all of you, irrespective of the tendencies you belong to.’’

According to him, any leader who doesn’t want to be a member of PDP again should carry his bag and go.

He said that after some party leaders had played double standards in the last general elections, it was about time to look at the like-minds to forge the party ahead.

“For those who have declared for the Labour Party, they should stay there, for those who have gone to the All Progressives Congress, they should enjoy it. Those of us that remain, let us know ourselves,” he said.

According to him, the event is not to mourn the past but for him to genuinely appreciate all that had sleepless nights with him during the 2023 electioneering.

“In 2023 election, we worked, we went everywhere – places that had never been visited in the history of this state politically – to campaign to the people. We slept in many local government areas and stayed with the people. That was the kind of rigorous campaign we ran in the 2023 elections.

“One cannot put in such investments and some people decided to play against the party, and won’t get hurt. We didn’t lose the 2023 election because we didn’t work, no! That is why I am here to appreciate all of you. You are my heroes, you did very well.

“We ran a campaign like never before. I brought you together to say thank you. You did well. We have chosen this path, there is no going back. We will stay firm to give Lagos a breath of fresh air,” he added.

Mr Adediran urged the national leadership of the party to listen to voices of patriotic and loyal leaders calling for firm action against unpatriotic leaders.

He said that no one would take the party seriously if such leaders were still forced on the people.

Stating that he had no regret whatsoever contesting the poll, the PDP leader said that he was rather proud about his achievements in the election.

He said that some PDP leaders had been working against the party over the years and it had become their stock in trade.

Mr Adediran said that it was about time the genuine leaders looked inward for like-minded people to rebuild the party for future elections.

Speaking on the state of the nation, Mr Adediran urged President Bola Tinubu to seek assistance wherever it could be found, and engage the right people to end the suffering of the masses.

The candidate, who noted that the provision of palliatives remained a stopgap, said that the sudden removal of fuel subsidy had brought about untold hardship to the people.

He said such a step should have been better approached.

Also speaking, a former Lagos PDP Chairman, Segun Adewale, blamed the repeated defeat of PDP in Lagos State on unpatriotic leaders who usually corner funds for election logistics to weaken the party’s chances of winning.

Mr Adewale, who vowed to support Mr Adediran if he would be running in 2027 general elections, said he remained in PDP till the moment because of the candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

“I will support you for 2027. It is only a mad man that will keep doing the same thing the same way and expect different results. We will stay with you, but let us recognise those who are enemies of the party and do things differently if we want to win,” Mr Adewale , popularly known as Aeroland, said.

Commending Lagos PDP members who were still loyal to the party, Mr Adewale said, “It is not easy to be a PDP member in Lagos. We have been failing and failing, yet many are still with us.”

He said that the party needed more transparency in choices of candidates and management of election logistics.

Mr Adewale said that leadership in the party should not be by age but by electoral weight and performance at polling units, wards and local governments.

Also speaking at the event, a PDP chieftain, Christopher Osoba, urged the candidate not to be discouraged by the outcome of the poll, promising to still support him in the next electoral cycle.

He called on party leaders and members to work together and end all the grievances.

The party elder said that with unity, it was possible for the party to still win Lagos State.

“We should put a round peg in a round hole. We have learnt our lessons. We should forget the past and move forward,” Mr Osoba said.

On behalf of the non-indigenes in the party, Dr Jonathan Nnaji, who expressed concern that PDP had been working against itself, commended Mr Adediran for being fearless and courageous.

The event, held at Liberty House, Jandor’s Campaign Office in Ikeja, brought together hundreds of PDP loyalists and leaders.

(NAN)