In scratching report, Lagos PDP blames Jandor for 2023 election loss

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos is pointing fingers after their gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 elections, Dr. Olajide Adediran (popularly known as Jandor), failed to secure victory.

In a statement released on Sunday, the forum of PDP Local Government Chairmen in Lagos placed the blame squarely on Jandor’s shoulders.

Chair of Chairmen of the forum, Adegboyega Adegbesan and Malomo Adelabi, made the remarks in a statement jointly signed and made available to the media.

The statement alleges Jandor’s disregard for advice from the party’s leadership, including the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was a key factor in the loss.

They accuse him of creating internal conflict by “interfering with the emergence of candidates at all levels,” leading to legal disputes within the party.

It reads, “Jandor had disregarded the party’s traditions and structure from the very first day he became the party’s gubernatorial candidate. He became lord unto to himself.

“He disregarded the structures of the party, by single-handedly handpicking candidates for house of representatives and state house of assembly, thereby creating crisis within the party.

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“This led to several litigation in the various local government areas, up to the supreme court, a scenario which had never been witnessed by the party before.

“Examples of local governments that were in legal log-jam two weeks before the general election were Oshodi-Isolo LG, Ikeja LG, Mushin LG, Ajeromi LG, Apapa LG, Ikorodu LG.

“Another blunder committed by him was he failed to properly reconcile with the aspirants that contested along with him for the governorship position but were forcefully step-down by ogidi led electoral committee that was sent to Lagos.”

Furthermore, the PDP chairmen criticize Jandor’s failure to reconcile with other candidates who contested the primaries before him. They claim he saw himself as an “imposed character” and acted with arrogance towards established party leaders like Chief Olabode George.

“Another blunder committed by him was he failed to properly reconcile with the aspirants that contested along with him for the governorship position but were forcefully step-down by ogidi led electoral committee that was sent to Lagos.

“These people paid N25million each to obtain forms. At one instance, one of the aspirants that was forced to step-down called him so that he might make some inputs into agent lists but he outrightly told the fellow that he was not ready to share his agent list with anybody and he will mainly make use of his Lagos for Lagos group.”

Jandor’s performance in his own local government area, Ojo, further strengthens the chairmen’s argument. The incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reportedly won Ojo, highlighting potential shortcomings in Jandor’s campaign strategy.

This public criticism from within the PDP paints a picture of a fractured party heading into the 2024 national elections. Jandor has yet to respond to the accusations, but it is likely this will spark further debate within the Lagos PDP chapter.

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