governorship primaries holding today in
Lagos, the party has promised all aspirants
level playing ground, assuring that today's
primaries to produce an acceptable result to
all stakeholders.
State party chairman, Tunji Shelle, said this
in a release made available to newsmen
yesterday, saying: "An elective process that
we promise must be free, fair and credible.
We will not give room for any hiccup as we
know that Lagosians are hoping on us to take
over governance from the ruling All
progressives Congress, APC. Indeed at the
end of the process, Lagosians will find our
choice acceptable to them."
This was just as the party's Elders Council
may have sealed the hope of Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro becoming the gubernatorial
candidate of the party, declaring that he was
not electable and would not be allowed to
emerge as the party's standard bearer.
A member of the PDP Elders Council, Lagos
State is headed by Chief Olabode George,
Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, addressing
newsmen on Saturday in Lagos, noted that
the group and Lagosians were quite familiar
with the negative image of Obanikoro as well
as his records, declaring that "never again,
we will never again return to Babylon. Never
again will we allow people of doubtful
character to rule this state, never again."
Vowing that Obanikoro would not be picked
by delegates at the PDP gubernatorial
primaries today to fly the party's flag in the
2015 poll, Ogunlewe however counselled him
to "be a game player and not a game spoiler."
Ogunlewe alleged that PDP leadership had it
on authority that Obanikoro was working for
the opposition, adding that the Elders'
Council came about its position on Obanikoro
in the interest of the electorate and Lagosians
in general.
He said: "We want a candidate Lagosians will
believe in, we want a candidate with
appropriate pedigree; that would be a
professional, very decent, a person that will
not be controversial, that will be cool-headed
and would be loved by all citizens.
"We don't want hooligans again that will be
carrying guns and fighting on the streets. We
have passed that stage. We must move
forward, Lagos is the centre of economic
activities.
"We would not vote for him, never. All the
leadership have agreed that we would not
subject the people of Lagos State to that kind
of impunity again, never. Never, because we
are thinking of the electorate; and a party
that does not think of the electorate is a
foolish party."
The former minister said the party was poised
to produce a gubernatorial candidate that
would be believed by Lagosians, a
professional with appropriate pedigree,
among others, adding that PDP will not by
any means pick anybody who possesses
qualities lower than Akinwunmi Ambode's.
This was just as he declared that Dr.
Adetokunbo Pearse, who claimed to have
been hounded out of Lagos gubernatorial
race, is a migrant politician who did not
obtain expression of interest form because he
had no money to pay.
Ogunlewe said: "He didn't belong to PDP, he
has been in defunct Action Congress of
Nigeria, ACN, he is a migrant politician, he
should tell us which local government he
belongs."
Expressing strong view on a statement
credited to Obanikoro that he was contesting
the gubernatorial primaries against former
Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief
George, and not Agbaje, Ogunlewe described
such statement as unfair and equally
uncalled for, noting that Obanikoro was
merely biting the finger that fed him,
cautioning all the aspirants to give due
respect to elders and leaders of the party as
demanded by Yoruba culture.
Posted By David Aniemeka
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