The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, and some leaders of the main opposition party on Friday received the convener of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, Olajide Adediran, into its fold.
Adediran, a former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos popularly known as Jandor, announced his defection to the PDP at an event held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.
He was presented with the PDP membership card by the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in the state, Julius Akinsola.
Stressing that he was joining the PDP with his supporters to add value to the party, Adediran promised that they would put their strength to test in Lagos.
“We once belonged to a party that was not ready for a contest,” he said. “But we have now moved to the PDP, a party that believes in the rule of law, and in this party, we will put our numerical strength to test against the APC.”
Some of the governors on the ground to welcome the new PDP members include Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Duoye Diri (Bayelsa).
Others were former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Deputy PDP National Chairman, Taofeek Arapaja; PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyawu; former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Olabode George; as well as former governors Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko.
Ayu, in his address, insisted that the PDP would restore Nigeria’s glory come 2023 and that Lagos would also be rescued from the throes of bad governance.
He stated that the APC deceived Lagos residents and Nigerians with the promise of change, but the people have not been happy because they have yet to benefit from the change.
“PDP loves Lagos. We love Nigerians. We want Lagos to return to Lagosians and we want Nigeria to belong to Nigerians,” said the PDP national chairman.
“Today, I know you are not happy. You are not happy that you gave your lives to people who deceived you about change. Are you enjoying the change now? How much is a bag of rice today?
“Today, we are happy to join Lagosians to welcome Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran to the PDP so that together, we can rescue Lagos State and rescue Nigeria from the throes of economic hardship.”
Addressing some journalists shortly after the event, Governor Makinde said the event signalled the beginning of a new dawn for the PDP in Lagos.
He believes the South-West PDP is now fully ready to lead the charge to rescue the zone and the country from the hands of APC, which promised too much but did so little to justify the trust Nigerians had in it.
“Today, I joined my brother governors in the PDP and other well-meaning members of our great party to welcome Mr Jide Adediran of the Lagos4Lagos Movement to the PDP,” the governor said.
“Indeed, it is the dawn of a new era, and our great party has shown through many ways, that it is ready to rescue the South-West and Nigeria from the maladministration of bad governance of the APC. The South-West, as I have always said, is strategic to Nigeria’s politics and we will definitely lead the charge to rescue Nigeria from the front.”
Similarly, Governor Ikpeazu, who spoke on behalf of the PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Aminu Tambuwal, and Governor Wike, welcomed Adediran and his team to the PDP.
For him, Adediran has joined a bus that will not stop until it gets to Aso Rock in 2023 and asked him to join hands with existing members of the PDP in Lagos to rescue the state and the nation.
