Apologize And Retract Your Statement - Lagos PDP Knocks Jandor Over Leadership Claim

Abdul-Azeez Adeniran

The Lagos State faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is demanding an apology from Abdul-Azeez Adeniran popularly known as Jandor, the party's 2023 gubernatorial candidate for claiming that he is the head of the party in the state.

The party asked Jandor to immediately withdraw his statement and apologise.

During a political meeting on Sunday, Jandor had said that he remains the political leader of the party in the state.

However, reacting to Jandor’s statement, Lagos PDP chairman, Philip Aivoji said such claims were mere falsehoods.

He insisted that it was an affront to the constitution of the PDP in the state and meant to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.

Aivoji insisted that there is nowhere in the constitution of the PDP that confers leadership on any candidate of the party.

The statement reads in part, “The attention of the State Executive members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the publication in the Vanguard newspaper of Sunday, March 10, 2024, where Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adeniran ( Jandor), the gubernatorial candidate of our party in the last general elections, was quoted to have said he remains the apex leader of Lagos PDP.

“We will like to put it on record that the PDP is a political party governed by the rule of law and the party constitution remains supreme in the operation of the party where the Lagos state chapter derives its authority and there is nowhere in the constitution of the party where leadership is conferred on any candidate of the party.

“Therefore, the statement ascribed to Jandor is a falsehood, divisive and an attempt to mislead unsuspecting members of the party in the state and the public at large.

“The State Chairman of the party remains the leader of the party in Lagos State and section 22 of the party constitution is sacrosanct on the establishment and composition of the party state caucus and there is nowhere the candidate of the party is mentioned as a member of such leadership position.

“This is important in order to put the record straight and to enlighten loyal members of the party on the leadership composition and operation of the party in Lagos state. Also, no section of the party constitution confers on any individual or group to expel any member of the party as this power resides only in the State Executive Council and the NWC.

“The Lagos state executive members found the statement as an affront and casting of aspersion on their personalities and the position they hold in the party and will therefore urge Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran to withdraw the statement and apologise for making such.

“While the Lagos State chapter of our party holds all our present and former members of the BOT, NWC, NEC and national leadership of the party in high esteem, it won’t condone any attempt by any member to cast aspersion on their personalities.”