Bode George, Akerele-Bucknor endorse Lagos LP’s governorship candidate, Rhodes-Vivour

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has endorsed the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, ahead of this weekend’s election in the state.

George disclosed this at a media briefing organised by members of a socio-political group, Omo Eko Pataki, on Monday in Lagos.

The former deputy governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Akerele-Buknor and Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi are other members of the group.

George, who is the leader of the group, expressed concern over the threats of attacks on Lagos residents, especially the Igbos, if they fail to support Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s re-election bid.

He urged the people of Lagos to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s election.

The PDP chieftain had a few days ago resolved his dispute with the party’s governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor.

He said: “We have called you here today (Monday) on the auspices of the Omo Eko Pataki, a concerned vanguard of true born and bonafide Lagosians, to brief you on issues of salient national importance as we head towards the final lap of the 2023 general elections.

“It is expedient for us as major stakeholders to let Lagosians, Nigerians, and the international community be aware of developments both in the aftermath of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as raise some pertinent concerns about the governorship, and the state Assembly elections scheduled for this Saturday, March 11, 2023.

READ ALSO: Bode George, Jandor mend fences ahead of Lagos guber polls

“For the avoidance of doubt, a particular video has gone viral, on social media, which showed a weird character, suspected to be one of the agents of the state, threatening fire and brimstone against anybody, particularly of the South-East extraction (Igbo), to dare come out on Election Day to vote for the Labour Party.

“In the words of the agent in the video clip, ‘It’s either Sanwo-Olu or nothing in Lagos.

“To this disposition, we, the Omo Eko Pataki, say it is the most heinous crime against humanity in this 21st century, and condemn such in its entirety.

“We reject this divisive politics of annihilation of innocent Nigerians which seek to create anarchy and provoke the anger of the citizenry. We wish to remind all the non-Lagosian agents of the Lagos State Government that Nigerians had always lived together in peace, irrespective of any political party in power.”

While endorsing Rhodes-Vivour for the election, George alleged that there was a threat to the candidate’s life.

“We wish to inform Nigerians about the heinous plan to secretly eliminate the Labour Party governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the latest move by the Lagos occupiers to take him out of circulation before the election on Saturday.

“We, hereby, warn that, should anything happen to this vibrant bonafide Lagosian who fate has thrown up to free our dear state from the stranglehold of marauders, Nigerians should know who to hold.

“All these he does by compromising all agencies and organs of state, including the electoral commission itself. We also call on INEC to ensure the use of transformational BVAS regime for the transparency of the exercise, a departure from the February 25 archaic system, where result sheets were moved manually from polling units,” he added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now