Why didn’t you run for Lagos State governor in 2023 after running for the PDP in 2015 and the SDP in 2019?
In 2015, I collaborated with five other governor candidates, including Tunde Gbadamosi, Late Dominic, Dr. Adedosun, and others. We later realised that some of our leaders, like Bode George, had endorsed Jimi Agbaje and that we should all withdraw.
Agbaje nearly won in 2015 with 47% of the vote. He lost because of the party split. Obanikoro ran again in the primaries, and I became his Director General (DG). After we lost the primaries, President Jonathan appointed Obanikoro Lagos State chairman of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation and me DG. Regrettably, our organisation supporting the president also opposed Jimi Agbaje for governor.
We lost because our folks didn’t vote for Jimi. I wanted to avoid running for governor in 2023 due to party dissension. I rejoined PDP in 2019. I was the SDP governorship candidate in Lagos State in 2019, but we couldn’t afford publicity.
I ran for governor when SDP was only a name. I also ran for senator in 2023. But the senatorial ambition was typical of the PDP—we’re too quick to bring in outsiders to run. Jandor, AbdulAzeez Adediran, was our partner. Jandor caused havoc.
He was allowed to choose primary delegates when he arrived. Imagine a candidate who had the power to choose primary delegates, but he chose people who understood nothing about PDP. Jandor planned to dominate the senate and House of Reps candidates by choosing delegates to rule the party.
Jandor told them to vote for party members like myself who would not challenge him. Like many others in my party, I didn’t know any local government delegates when I came to the primary.
Our election ended because the candidates were unknown. Because they were his primary voters, he thought he was helping himself.
He became a contender after Dr Adedosun pulled out. Bode George had already persuaded Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour to resign. He was alone. The people gave him delegate power.
We ran Senate and House candidates nobody knew, with no money or influence.
Some governors had promised me that if I won my primary, they would support me because of our contacts and because I have been working for them, but the people who won the primaries didn’t have anything or know anyone, which was why PDP performed so poorly.
How will you compare the 2023 elections to past national elections?
